


Moving On

by itslovelyokayy



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Cheating, Drinking, Drug Use, Eventual Romance, F/M, Friendship, Love Triangles, Past Abuse, Romance, Smoking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-19
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:15:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 26,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25984984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itslovelyokayy/pseuds/itslovelyokayy
Summary: Denver recently moved into her grandfather's old farm. Wanting a fresh start, away from her old life and the person she used to be, she uprooted everything and moved to Pelican Town. In hopes she can grow as a person, she throws herself into this new life, although her old life is still tugging at her sleeve.
Relationships: Abigail/Sebastian (Stardew Valley), Female Player (Stardew Valley)/Other(s), Sam & Female Player (Stardew Valley), Sam/Female Player (Stardew Valley), Sam/Player (Stardew Valley), Shane/Female Player (Stardew Valley)
Comments: 19
Kudos: 17





	1. Breath of Fresh Air

**Author's Note:**

> Back into the writing scene! Currently obsessed with Stardew Valley, so here's the first chapter of my latest work. I'll probably also be posting up some one-shots as time goes on, so if you like my work or if there's any prompts you wanna see written out, feel free to hit me up. Thanks, lovelies!

After a long day of planting the first Springtime crops, Denver knew it was time to call it a day. This farmer life was still new to her, and several hours of preparing the soil, planting the seeds, and clearing out some of the fields has her absolutely beat. She steps into her new home, kicks off her work boots by the front door, and sits with her back against the wall.

Letting out a sigh, her mind starts reeling. _Was this the right decision? Do I really belong here? Should I have stayed closer to dad?_

Just a month ago, she pulled out that lifechanging letter from her grandfather. Her job at Joja was draining, coming home to an empty apartment night after night had her questioning her decisions. But was this the right choice? After giving her past boss that two week notice and packing up everything she owned, she made the difficult decision to move out to Pelican Town, leaving her father back in the city. 

She knew he'd be fine; after all, he wasn't home too often. Happily traveling within his career, he always had different adventures keeping him busy. Denver, on the other hand? Wake up, work, sleep, repeat. She knew it was time to step out of her comfort zone and try something new. She had visited this small town when she was a child, but always believed she was meant to be in the city. Now that she's been here a couple days and met a couple kind faces, she's second guessing everything. 

She checks her phone for the time, and it's only 5pm, though her aching muscles would lead her to believe otherwise. She stands up, dusting off her jeans, and decides it's about time to head out to the town. After stepping into the bathroom, she takes a couple minutes to take her long brown hair out of the Dutch braids and change into a clean outfit before starting the long walk to the town. She passes by her beloved Jeep, deciding she's already used to long walks anyways, and continues on.

Stepping into the Stardrop Saloon, Gus smiles at her from behind the bar. "Denver! Nice to see you, can I get you anything to drink?" His genuine smile makes anyone in the saloon immediately feel safe and cared for. 

"Hey Gus! Can I just get a water for now?" She says with a smile, as she takes a seat at the corner of the bar. A quick scan around the room shows Mayor Lewis and Marnie across the room, a couple unfamiliar faces enjoying food and drinks, and to her right, another room with curtains covering the entryway. _A VIP room, in this small town?_ she wonders. She'd seen many in different bars back in Zuzu, so it doesn't sound completely unbelievable. 

Her thoughts are interrupted by a woman with short blue hair behind the bar, "Hey hon'! You must be the new farmer."

"Do I stand out that much?"

"Oh no, not at all! You know what they say about gossip in small towns." She chuckles lightly, setting down a glass of water with a slice of lemon. "We don't see too many new faces around here, at least until the fair. I'm Emily, by the way!"

"It's nice to meet you Emily, and thanks!" She takes a sip of the water as Emily lays a menu in front of her. 

"Just let me know if you wanna order anything!" She says over her shoulder as she makes her way out from behind the bar and around to other tables.

Studying the menu, Denver hears the front door open and footsteps right behind her. She slightly jumps and turns around, to see someone walking past her to the end of the bar. The guy leans against the wall, "Just the usual," he says to Emily before shoving his hands in his pockets and taking a look around the room. Apparently, Denver was staring a tad too much, because their eyes met after a moment. "Need something?" He says to her, a snarky tone in his voice.

Denver's eyes shoot to her hands on the bar, embarrassingly. "My bad," she mutters under her breath, as she starts reading the menu again. The strange guy scoffs slightly under his breath while Emily places a beer down for him. 

"Shane, could you try not scaring off the new farmer?" 

Denver looks up to meet her eyes, and gives a shy smile. "Oh, it's okay. Uhm... Can I just get some spaghetti, please?"

Emily agreed, and continued along with her work. Denver sat quietly thinking to herself until the spaghetti was placed in front of her, and she got to eating. A few yells are heard from behind her, in the direction of the closed-off room. Shane groans, "And..here..they..come."

Denver looks over to him, "What do you-" and is cut off by three people around her age bursting into the room from behind the curtain, all yelling excitedly. The first is a girl with long purple hair, turned around facing a guy with long black bangs barely sticking to his forehead. The girl is laughing, while the guy is rolling his eyes, "That was just a lucky shot, we all know that." He pushes past the girl and heads out the front door, pulling something out of his jacket pocket. 

The third is the tallest of them all, with blonde hair sticking up in all directions. His emerald eyes were lit up as he was bent over laughing at the first two, clutching his stomach as he stumbled over to the bar. He set his hand down and waved with the opposite, "I'll be out in a second guys!" He turned to the bar, leaning on both elbows right next to Denver. "Hey Em! Can I get one more beer before we head out?"

Emily laughs, raising an eyebrow, "Are you sure you should be heading home drunk, Sam?"

He waves her off, "It's a Friday night, we're just having some fun! Plus, I'm totally fine, watch this," he quickly spins around, elbowing Denver in the shoulder. He immediately turns around, holding onto her shoulder. "Oh shit, my bad! You alright?"

He's staring into her soul, it feels like. His bright green eyes are wide with concern, and now she's realizing she's staring too long... "Yeah! Yeah, you're totally fine. No worries."

Skeptically, he stares for just a moment longer before reaching into his pocket. "Here Em, lemme get one for me and one for the fresh face, too." He winks at Emily, and she rolls her eyes. "Alright Sam, I don't wanna hear it if you cause any trouble."

Denver's still staring, "So...you're Sam?"

"Sam, I am!" He flashes a proud smile. 

Emily was quick with the beers, and places one in front of each of them. They each grab them, and he turns to Denver and clinks their glasses together. The two each take a sip, "And you're new around here. You got a name?"

A small smile pulls at the corners of her lips, "You could say that. It's Denver."

"Well Denver, you should come hang out for a bit! Unless it's past your bedtime?"

"I mean, Emily sure seems worried that it might be past _your_ curfew."

"Ohhh, you have no idea." He laughed before downing the rest of his beer in one quick drink. "I'll be outside, come on out!" He pulled a couple of gold coins out of his pocket, flipping them onto the counter, before rushing out of the bar. 

Denver grabbed the glass, drinking most of the beer quickly. 

Shane chuckled, "Damn, a girl after my own heart."

She blushed lightly, finishing the rest in one full take, paid up for her meal and tipped Emily, and walked out the front door.

As she pushed the door open, she heard a thud. The girl with the purple hair groaned, "Oh man, gonna feel that in the morning," as she rubbed her head.

"Oh my god, sorry! You good?" Denver crouched down to meet her eyes. 

The girl looked up, "Oooh, I saw you at the bar! New farmer down the road, right?" Denver nodded in response. "I'm Abigail! This is Sebastian, and the idiot on the skateboard is Sam. Don't tell me you're leaving already! You totally gotta join us for a round of pool!"

Sebastian stood up from the front step he was sitting on, "Abby, we should all get heading home anyways. Sam will hurt himself if he keeps trying to do...whatever he's doing, and I don't need anymore shit from Demetrius right now."

Denver tucked a tuff of hair behind her ear, "Yeah, I gotta get heading out for now anyways. Maybe next time? I need to buy Sam a beer sometime anyways." She glanced over at the blonde, trying to perfect his kickflip, but instead, his skateboard flies from under him, sending him to the ground and the board into a planter. 

Sebastian rolls his eyes, while Abigail bursts into laughter. "You imbecile! What did Sebastian just say?" Running over to him and offering a hand up, Sam places his hand behind his neck while his face turned a light shade of pink.

"Yeah, you're probably right... Abby, you gotta take your test in the morning!"

Abigail's eyes widened, "Oh shit, I totally forgot!" She stumbles past Sebastian in a hurry. 

Sebastian stands up behind her, "Hey, I'll walk you home. I have some work to finish up tonight anyways, so I should probably get going too."

Sam waved, "Alright you two, catch you both later!" The two waved over their shoulders and walked away.

"I should probably get heading home, too," Denver broke the silence. "I've got so much work to do, and I wanna get everything comfortable as soon as possible."

The blonde is grabbing his skateboard out of the planter, "Well let me walk you home! Follow me this way!"

"No no, that's not-"

"Don't argue with me! I gotta get to know my newest competition in pool."

He's walking across the town square, so Denver follows. He leans his skateboard against a house, and he presses a finger to his lips, "Be quiet through here," He whispers. "This is my place, I don't wanna wake up my brother or mom." Denver nodded, and continued to follow Sam past the house and through a small opening in the fence. 

After past the houses, Sam turned to her, "So, Pelican Town? Why?"

"Oh, uh.. Family farm, I guess. New start to life."

They took their time walking back to the farm, casually talking about how they both moved here from the city, Sam describing some of the other residents here in town, and just simply chatting. By the time they reached the worn down farmhouse, they checked the time, and noticed it had been nearly an hour since they left the bar.

"Well shit, guess I gotta start heading home now." He stumbled slightly as he spoke, an improvement from his steps the whole walk over. 

"You sure you don't need a water before you go?"

"Uh... Sure, if you don't mind, real quick."

Denver shuffled around in her pockets for her keys, unlocking the door and hurrying into the house. She grabbed a glass from a cabinet, filled it with water from the sink, and walked back to see Sam sitting on the front steps, his head leaning against the rail.

"Hey, you okay?" She asked softly, sitting down next to him.

He sighed, "Yeah, all good." He stared off at the sky for a moment, before turning to face her and grab the glass. He thanked her before taking a sip, and turned to state at the sky once more.

Her eyes followed, softly exhaling as her eyes lit up. She hadn't noticed it yet since moving to the valley, but the stars and moon lit up the entire sky, leaving a soft cast of light across the entire field in front of her. The city was always so lively, people busy and bustling at all times, that even if someone slowed down for a moment to look at the sky, they wouldn't see quite as many stars as are visible here. Taking just this short moment, with a new, kind person siting next to her, is such a breath of fresh air. 

Sam sighs, "Thanks for the water, Denver. I'll see you soon, okay?"

She smiled back at him, "Yeah, see you soon."


	2. Outside Looking In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Denver gets to know some more of the residents in Pelican Town.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is mostly still just building up, but yes, I do have plans for future chapters!

Denver wakes up on Saturday morning, to the rays of sunlight peaking in between the curtains. After a quick stretch, she sits up in her bed and reaches for her phone. No texts or calls, pretty typical for her. She had friends and previous relationships, but none that she really kept up with after leaving the city.

She goes through her new morning routine; showers, gets dressed, chores around the farm, the usual. Her favorite part was jarring the new jellies made in her preserve jars, there was something so satisfying about the whole procedure.

Stepping out of her farm after finishing up, she checks the time - it's a little past noon. Not knowing what to do with the rest of her day, Denver cleans up one last time and heads out into the town.

She sees some familiar faces walking around town, just briefly sharing greetings with a few. She ends up down at the beach, sitting on the edge of the pier, just enjoying the calm waves. Slipping off her shoes and dipping her feet into the cool water, her mind starts to wander. The beach was always a mission when she lived further down in the city, so this was a nice change of pace. The biggest difference was the crowds, the larger beaches always used to be so much more crowded due to the popularity, but this was different. Willy stood over by his shop, and she saw Elliott leaving his home and heading towards the town. She laid back on the dock and closed her eyes, just listening to the soothing breeze and the small waves hitting the shore...

"Shane! Hurry up, we gotta get there before the crabs leave!"

Denver turns her head, watching Shane walking over to the shore with a young girl. She's looking up at him enthusiastically, pulling on his shirt before kneeling down at the shore. 

She turns her head and closes her eyes again, just listening to them talking. _Is that his daughter? He seemed so...grumpy yesterday, I guess I didn't expect him to be a father..._

"Hey," Denver jumped as she heard a voice above her, "Denver, right?"

She raises a hand to shield the sun from her eyes, and sees Shane standing above her, looking down. Her shirt pulls up, exposing a sliver of skin on her torso. The top of a tattoo peaks out from under her jeans, and Shane's eyes are drawn to it.

"Yeah, that's me," she says, drawing his attention back to her face, "And you're Shane?"

He nods, "That's right... Hey, I wanted to apologize for yesterday. It was a long day and I guess..." His voice trails off.

"Yeah, you kinda came off as an asshole." She smirks, and pauses before sitting up and turning to face him. "Is she your daughter?"

He sits down next to her on the dock, "Oh, Jas? No no, that's...well, she's my goddaughter. We live with my Aunt Marnie."

"Well that's sweet. She seems to really love the beach."

"Eh, I think she just likes to come down and wait for Vincent."

Vincent, Denver remembers Sam mentioning his younger brother to her. "Oh, does Sam bring him down too?"

"Yeah, we try to make sure the kids get to spend some time together. Of course they go to school together, but they're the only two youngin's around-"

At that moment, Jaz runs over, covered head to toe in sand, " _Shane_! Shane, I need to jump in the water to rinse off!"

He chuckles and stands up, "Alright, let's get you cleaned up." He walks over, and holds her hand as he guides her into the water. She's moreso splashing around, rather than rinsing off at all, and Denver giggles at the sight. It reminds her of the days of helping teach her own younger brother how to swim, back when they were both younger. 

Shane glances over at Denver, and she's just softly laughing at Jas. He notices the sun reflecting off her face, enhancing the freckles speckled across her button nose. Her dark brown hair laid across her shoulder, and- _oh shit_ , she caught him staring. 

She met his eyes, and noticed his lips were slightly parted. _I'm pretty positive he was staring...at me?_ She smiled, her cheeks flushing as she looked down at the water.

"Okay Shane," Jas says, pulling on his hand again, "Vincent's here!" He walks her back over to the sand, and Jas runs over to meet Vincent. Denver notices Sam and Shane nod at each other, and Shane leans against a palm tree as he pulls out his phone, while Sam kneels down by the kids and offers to help with their sandcastle. 

Immediately, Denver feels self-conscious. She looks around the beach, and even though she's been getting to know some of the residents, she knows she's not part of this community. Slipping her shoes back on and standing up, she dusts off her hands on her jeans and slips her hands in her pockets before walking across the beach back to the town.

"Hey Denver!" Sam calls out, "You wanna come help us with this sandcastle? I kinda suck." He laughs at himself, showing off his sad-looking tower.

She shakes her head, "Maybe another time," and continues walking. If her eyes hadn't been fixated on the sand below her, she would've noticed both guys staring at her as she walked away.

~

Denver is quick to make her way across the town square, ready to just be home. She knows she has no reason to feel down, she hasn't even been here a week yet, but her head is still full of doubts about her decision to move here. Would she ever get past these feelings?

She jumps as someone grabs her wrist, "Hey!" Abigail is latched onto her arm, "Wanna come hang out for a bit? If we're gonna be the two main girls in the group, we have so much to talk about."

"Uh... I don't know, I kinda..."

"I mean, you can show me your farm! I used to explore those fields before you moved here, so I'd love to see what the house looks like on the inside."

She contemplates for a second before nodding, "Alright, come on by!"

They talk briefly on the walk, before the two enter the farmhouse. Denver kicks off her shoes at the door before sitting down on the couch. "Make yourself at home! It's not much, but-" She cuts herself off, as Abigail is already digging around in cabinets.

"Do you have any cups?"

"Yeah, cabinet to the left of the fridge."

Abigail fills up a glass with water before sitting down next to Denver. "So, Den - you mind if I call you Den?" Denver shrugs. "Cool. So Den, we gotta have a girl talk. Have you met any of the guys around here?"

Denver laughs, "I haven't even been here a week yet!" She grabs the remote and turns the tv on and the volume down, just enough to keep some background noise. "Plus, I barely know anyone since I met most of you yesterday."

Abigail turns, facing Denver directly. "So? First impressions are everything! You met me and the two geeks yesterday, what are your thoughts?"

She shrugs, "I don't know. I mean...I don't know yet."

"Oh, come on!" Abigail rolls her eyes. "You can't be this boring. Do you think Sam is cute?"

"Well...yeah, I mean he's totally cute."

"There you go! Anyone else?"

"Uhm... Elliott seems sweet, but not really my type. Same with Harvey. Shane seems..."

"No."

Denver whips her head back to face Abigail, who's staring at her incredibly intensely. "Wait, what?"

"Absolutely not, stay away from Shane."

"Why? He was cool to talk to earlier-"

"You two were hanging out?"

"Yeah, right before Sam showed up so the two kids could hang out."

Abigail rolls her eyes, "Shane is the biggest asshole in town. He's rude to everybody, and has way more problems than you're gonna want to deal with. Trust me, no."

Denver thinks back to last night at the bar. Sure, he came off a little snappy at first, but today with Jas, he seemed like a completely different person. He probably just has some walls to break down.

Abigail's phone rings, interrupting the conversation. "Hello?...I'm with Denver, what's up?...No, we're having girl time! I'm not putting you on speakerphone!...Sam...Okay, fine." She lays her phone down on the cushion between them, "It's Sam, he said he wants to talk to us."

"Hey Sam," Denver says.

"Heeeeyy!" He says in a singsongy voice. "Sebastian's still working but I brought Vincent home and now I'm totally bored. Wanna go crash his place?"

Denver hesitates, "Oh, I don't think I should, I hardly even know him."

Abigail exclaims, "We'll both be there!"

"Abigail, I-"

"First of all, if I'm calling you Den - which I am - then you can call me Abby. Secondly, your farmhouse is cute and all, but it's all far away and lonely. You need friends, I need another girl in the group, Sebastian needs to come out of his dungeon sometimes, and Sam needs a lady-"

"Abigail!" Sam yells through the phone. "If you're just gonna be a pain in the ass-"

"Oh hush, Sammy! We'll meet you at the old community center?"

"Maybe if that's the last place you wanna see before I-"

Abby reaches over and hangs up the phone. "Den, you're gonna have fun. Can I raid your closet before we go?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading my work!


	3. Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a fun-filled day, reminders of Denver's past come flooding. 
> 
> TW: Smoking, references of past abuse

The walk up to the old community center was relatively short, as Abigail's energy levels were apparently skyrocketing. Denver didn't talk too much, which was okay, because Abigail took the time to point out the old minecart by the bus stop, the playground surrounded by varieties of flowers, and eventually about how the community center was possibly haunted. Intrigued, Denver began to open the door.

"You're not too scared to go in there?" Abby asked, questioningly. 

"No, why would I be? I wanna see what all the fuss is about!" Denver entered the worn down building, watching her steps as the uneven wood below stuck out. The air was musty, and the eerie silence was almost peaceful.

"Come on Denver, we can explore this later, but I wanna see what the guys are up to!" Denver wasn't turning around, immediately entranced by the old, decaying furniture scattered about. Her fingers brushed across a dusty table, before seeing a long hallway to her left. She quickly glanced at Abigail with a smirk, before walking down the dark hall. "What are you looking for?"

She turned a corner, entering a kitchen. Mugs were placed on an old table, caked in dust that must have been building up for years. Next to the mugs, a pack of cigarettes laid, but missing the dust. Somebody must be spending some time in here at some point.

"Denver, come on, I see Sam outside!" Abigail yelled from the main room. Her voice was faint, followed by the closing of a door.

Picking up the cigarettes, Denver screamed as she felt hands grab her shoulders from behind. " _Boo_!" Sam yelled, right before Denver turned around and threw the pack at his chest.

"Sam, what the hell!" She laughed, placing a hand on her chest to calm her nerves. "You scared the shit out of me!" 

His laugh filled the room, "Yeah, that was kinda the point!" He crouched down and grabbed the pack. "These your's?"

She shook her head, "Nope, just found them on the table."

"Alright, we'll leave them here then. Come on, let's get going!" He offered his hand, which she looked at for a second, before playfully smacking it and stepping in front of Sam to lead the way out.

Abigail was standing outside, arms crossed. "Okay you two, you ready?"

Denver skipped ahead and grabbed her hand, "Well let's go!"

The three spent a short time on the walk, just talking about the scenery on the way up the mountain. Upon reaching Sebastian's house, Denver excused herself. "I'll be right behind you guys, I'm gonna go check out the lake real quick."

Abigail raised an eyebrow and shrugged before nodding her head towards the front door, signaling for Sam to follow her inside. Denver turned to the lake, standing on the edge and staring out. The sun was still peaking out from behind the taller mountains, glistening on the still water. Denver sighed to herself, reaching into her pocket and pulling out her own metal case of cigarettes. She placed one in between her lips as she put the case away and pulled out a lighter, lighting the end and softly inhaling.

"Denver?" She jumped slightly and coughed, turning to see Sebastian walking down the path from the other side of the lake. "You smoke?"

She held onto the cigarette, eyes locked with his. "Uhm... Yeah, I guess. Trying to quit, but..." Her voice trailed off as she scanned the lake.

"Hey, I'm not judging," he stepped next to her, pulling out his own pack, "But you mind giving me a light?" She reached over, lighting his cigarette. "What are you doing over here, anyways?"

"Oh, Sam and Abby went inside your house, they wanted to come see you."

He rolled his eyes, "I love them and all, but I wanted to have some alone time for a bit."

"Sorry if I'm intruding on that! Though, I was kinda forced into it." 

"That, I thoroughly believe," he snickered through his nose, "They can be like that sometimes. If they're getting on your nerves at all-"

"Oh no!" She inhaled again, then exhaled a cloud of smoke. "I don't mind it at all. In fact, it's kinda refreshing. I could use the distraction."

He raised an eyebrow, "Care to elaborate?" She shook her head, and he nodded. Of all people, he understood that. He loved his friends too, even though they drove him crazy at times. But there were moments where even so much positivity made him feel more negative, for some reason. They stood in silence for a couple minutes, simply smoking their cigarettes together. He put out his cigarette on the bottom of his shoe before placing the butt in his pocket. He looked at Denver, offering to do the same for her. After both had finished, he looked towards the house. "Ready to socialize?"

She smirked, "Ready as I'll ever be."

They entered the house together, and he led her to a staircase heading into the basement. Opening the door, the two saw Abigail sprawled across Sebastian's bed, and Sam sitting at his computer with his feet laid across a second chair. "There you are!" Abby sat up, "Your mom mentioned you had gone out, so we figured you'd be back soon."

Sam tilted his head, taking his feet off the chair and offering it to Denver. She smiled as she sat down, crossing her legs in her lap. Sebasian crossed the room, sitting on the top of his table. "Yeah, just went out for a walk."

Sam laughed, "Feeling extra melodramatic today?"

Sebastian glared, "Or maybe Demetrius has been on my ass all weekend. Maru's excelling in her classes, being the perfect child she is, and of course, I'm just the family disappointment."

Sighing, Abigail grabbed an empty water bottle off the floor and chucked it at Sebastian. "Would you stop? You're no disappointment, you're two totally different people."

"Yeah, yeah... Anyways, if you guys aren't planning on leaving any time soon, wanna play some Prairie King?"

Sam jumped off the chair, "Oh man, ready to get your ass whooped, I see!"

Denver laughed, and he turned to her, "What's so funny?"

She stood up, stepped up to the blond, and stared into his eyes, "You've never played video games with me. Now, you're in for a whole world of pain." She turned sharply, her hair briefly whipping him in the chest. Sebastian was pulling out the controllers, and offered one up. "Thanks! Game on."

~

After a day filled with laughs and gaming, the four all went their separate ways. Sam had offered to walk Denver home again, but it was getting late and he wanted to check on Vincent before he went to bed, so Denver insisted he went straight home instead. After getting home, Denver pulled a frozen meal out of the freezer, and placed it in the microwave as she went to her room to change. She pulled her top over her head, tossed it into the hamper, and walked over to her dresser to pull out a sleeping shirt. As she opened the drawer, she heard her phone's notification tone ring in the next room.

She ignored it as she finished changing her clothes, only to heard the tone again. She flipped her head to put her long hair into a bun, tying it into a messy top knot. Again, the tone rang. Finally, she decided to go see who it could be.

Lighting her phone up, her breath caught in her chest as she saw the familiar phone number flash across the screen. She had three messages from one of the few people she was hoping to leave behind in the city.

**Denver, I miss you**

**I heard you moved and I was hoping I could come visit sometime**

**I love you beautiful**

She froze in place. Her breath halted. Tears began welling up in her eyes as all of the memories came flowing back. 

She slammed her phone down on the table, turned off the microwave, slipped on her shoes and stepped outside. She needed the fresh air to cool her warming face.

A chilling breeze started to pick up, and she wrapped her arms around herself. It nipped at her skin, but she didn't mind at all. Thoughts filled her mind as she paced back and forth in front of her house. 

_Why is he texting me? Who told him I moved? Should I respond?_

She sat down on her front porch. Home used to be wherever he was - he was her safe place...until he wasn't. 

In this moment, all she wanted was someone to wrap their arms around her. Someone to make her feel safe again. Someone to make her feel like she was home.

_But I'm alone._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!


	4. Inner Turmoil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Denver's emotional roller coaster really begins kicking in, just as things start feeling more stable.
> 
> TW: Smoking, drinking, slight amount of blood

It had been a long week on the farm. Spending her days distracting herself with daily chores on the farm, clearing off any overgrown patches on the land, Denver was exhausted. It was early morning on her second Friday in Pelican Town, and she had made the conscious decision to isolate herself. She had really enjoyed getting to know her new friends and neighbors, but she couldn't get it out of her head that she could just be dragging everyone into her problems that she couldn't seem to get away from. 

Since she had received those texts last week, she hadn't left the farm, not even once. Luckily, she had stocked up on supplies and enough food to last for a week, but she couldn't deny that it felt even worse. 

However, today was a day that she had planned for a while. She had heard talk about the mines at the top of the mountain, even higher up than Sebastian's house, and she had a strong desire to explore them, even a bit. With her supplies in her backpack, she started the long trek up the mountain.

The sun was barely shining through the gray clouds above her. _Shit, maybe I should've checked the weather before heading out too far... Oh well._ She shrugged it off as she continued.

This young woman was on a mission, and wanted as much time as possible to explore, so the hike was surprisingly quick. Entering the mines, she could hear faint dripping throughout, and descended the ladder to the level below.

A wide variety of ores was scattered everywhere, and she got to work at picking away. Before she knew it, a several levels had been explored, her backpack was weighing heavy on her shoulders, and a few hours had passed. Having already been exhausted before she left, her stamina was depleting quickly, so she made her way back up. 

Back on the main level, she saw the light of the outside world. Heading towards the opening, her dragging feet caught on a stone and she tripped forward, gravity pulling her backpack down harder on top of her. She yelped, catching herself on her forearm. She stayed still for a second before pushing herself up, noticing her arm had a noticeably large scrap. Wiping her arm off on her already dirty jeans, she left the opening and noticed it was raining. Groaning, she continued on her way home.

Passing Linus' tent, she was almost to the backwoods when a familiar voice called her name. She turned towards the sound of the voice and saw Sebastian standing under a tree. Once he caught her attention, he started speedwalking towards her. "Hey! Nice of you to show your face again. Embarrassed about your defeat last week?"

She chuckled, "You're the only one I lost to, my odds are pretty great." She reached up to push her dripping hair out of her face, and Sebastian's eyes widened. 

"Oh shit, what happened to your arm?" He reached up and grabbed her arm, and she flinched away. He didn't seem to notice. "Dude, you gotta get that cleaned up... Were you in the mines?" He interrogated, noticing the full backpack with the pickaxe poking out.

"Yeah, I needed to get some things..." She looked at her arm, and the blood mixed with the rainwater was dripping down her arm. "It's really not as bad as it looks."

"Well, I was gonna invite you back out to the saloon tonight. Let me walk you home so I can force you to leave your dungeon."

She rolled her eyes, jokingly pushing his shoulder. "Coming from you in your torture dungeon?"

"Hey, at least you haven't had Sam bugging you all week!" She looked at him confusingly, and he shrugged. "You haven't given any of us your number."

They continued the walk back to her farmhouse, exchanging numbers along the way. Once back home, she emptied out the contents of her backpack into a chest, and proceeded to shower and clean up her arm. She emerged from the bathroom in a clean pair of ripped jeans and an off-the-shoulder top, still towel-drying her hair. Sebastian was laying out on her couch, and looked up. "Hey, your arm really does look better cleaned up. Ready to get going?"

She laced up her nicer boots and they left. Sebastian opened up an umbrella, she pulled out her cigarette case, and they walked towards the saloon together.

They entered the saloon, and noticed they were the first two there out of the group. Sebastian decided to go get the pool table ready, while Denver went straight to the bar to order a pizza and the first round of beer for the group. She sat down at the corner, her now usual seat there, and Shane spoke up. "Hey Denver, how's your day been?" She turned to face him as the conversation continued. Emily eventually set down the pizza in front of them and said she'd bring the beers straight to the back room. Denver offered a slice of pizza to Shane, just as she heard Abigail whispering in her ear.

"Hey, we've been waiting."

Denver looked up, "My bad! I didn't realize you guys were here yet. I was just waiting for the beer and pizza." She grabbed the pizza and Abigail leaned forward to whisper again.

"Yeah, you tend not to notice things when you're flirting back and forth."

Denver rolled her eyes and excused herself from the conversation. Shane stopped her as Abigail continued walking, "Hey, text me sometime?" She agreed and took Shane's number in her phone before stepping into the back room.

Sebastian looked up from the table, "There you are! Pizza took a while tonight, I see."

Abigail scoffed, "Yeah, you could say that."

Denver placed the pizza on the bar table her and Abigail were sharing, and leaned foward, "Calm down," she said quietly enough for the boys to not hear.

"What did I tell you?"

"We were just talking while I was waiting! I even bought you a beer, now calm your tits."

Abigail grabbed a beer and smiled, "Well, that's fair enough then."

Their conversation was interrupted by Sam cheering, "Hot damn! Dude, did you see that shot? Come on, that was badass!"

Denver playfully pouted, "I missed it!" She stepped next to him as he lined up his next shot. "But maybe you can do it again if it was that badass?"

He turned to her and smirked, "So you doubt my skill now?"

She leaned forward, "Maybe."

He focused on his shot, took it, and missed. Terribly. "Hey, not fair! You were distracting me!"

Sebastian was laughing, "Damn, I don't even need to let you win if you keep shooting like that."

Sam sighed and turned around, propping himself up on his elbows on the pool table. "You know you gotta make it up to me now, right?"

She smiled, grabbed a beer off the table, and handed it to him. "Better?"

His eyes lit up, "Totally." The boys continued their game, Sebastian winning by a long shot, and Abigail challenged the winner in the next round. Denver was sitting on the couch, watching all of this transpire.

"Alright, I play winner next!" She called over, not sure if anyone even heard her over the music. 

Sam sat down next to her on the couch, his leg slightly brushing on her's. She looked up, waiting for him to say something.

They kept eye contact for a moment before he spoke up. "So, why'd you go MIA this past week? I see that scrape on your arm."

She shrugged, "I've had a lot going on at the farm. Every day's been constantly busy."

"Yeah right, you were totally avoiding us. Don't try to lie, I can tell." He glanced at their two friends playing their game, silently sharing glances between the two of them.

She hesitated, "How could you tell?"

His eyes met her's once more, "So I was right?" His smirk widened, "I was totally guessing, but now I know I was right." She playfully shoved his shoulder, refusing to keep further eye contact. She felt bad, she didn't want them to feel like she was avoiding them. She just needed some time to herself to adjust. Or, so she told herself.

He leaned even closer, his breath on her ear, "Hey, don't beat yourself up. Whatever your reasons are, that's on you. But we're still here."

She turned and smiled, captivated by his emerald green eyes. His eyes flickered between her eyes too, and for a moment, she could've sworn he was leaning in even closer...

"Hey, Denver! You're up!" Her face whipped around to see Abigail smiling widely. Denver stood up and grabbed the cue from Sebastian. "New challenger breaks."

They each shot a few rounds, both hitting a few balls into the nets. Emily entered the room with another beer and placed it on the table. Abigail stared over, "Who's that for?"

Emily pointed at Sam, "Someone bought it for you!" He pointed at himself, and she nodded, laughing. He jumped up, grabbing the beer, and shrugging at a questioning Sebastian.

Abigail leaned against the wall, next to Denver. "That's a normal occurence, nothing to worry about." 

"What are you talking about?"

Abigail rolled her eyes and laughed as she stepped towards the table, "Someone buying him a beer. Don't pretend like we couldn't all see you two share your little moment back there. Denver's face flushed a bright pink as she curled a stray hair behind her ear.

By the end of the night, each of the four had at least a couple beers each, and they were all sitting on the couches together. Abigail and Denver on one, with Abigail's legs draped over Denver's, and Sam and Sebastian sharing a couch. Sam, Sebastian and Abigail were excitedly planning a future concert for their band, which was news to Denver. She stayed quiet as the conversation turned into playful bickering about practices being too hard to plan, when Emily entered the room again. "Denver, this one's for you," as she handed another beer to Denver.

Already feeling the effects of the past drinks, Denver took a deep breath as Abigail encouraged her to chug. It was a truly pathetic attempt, but it was still enough for it to rush to her head. "Woo, I need to get some air real quick." She tapped on Abigail's legs so she could pull them down, and Sebastian offered to join her.

As they walked through the front room, Denver glanced over at Shane in the corner who liften his glass to her and turned away, and she smiled. The two stepped outside of the saloon and pulled out their cigarettes, walking down the wet steps but noticing the rain had quit. 

After they both took a moment to hit, Sebastian turned to her. "Hey, so... You and Shane?"

She stuck her free hand in her pocket, "Me and...nobody, at least not right now. Why you ask?"

He shrugged, "No reason. Abby has her theories, but we're also kinda biased."

"Speaking of which..."

"Me and Abby?" He finished her sentence. "It's unspoken, but...yeah. We don't really have a label on it yet. Maybe eventually."

"You two are cute." She smiled at him. He returned the sentiment with a sweet half smile.

"Thanks. I'm lucky enough to have met her back in high school. We were each dating other people, and the timing was never right. Now, we're just taking it slow, but...yeah."

"I totally get that."

The front door opened behind them, and Sam and Abigail both came walking down. Abigail held onto Denver's arm, pressing her cheek against her shoulder.

"Denver, can I tell you something?" Denver hummed in response. "I'm really glad you moved here. I feel like I've known you a lot longer than just a week."

Denver stared down at her boots, "I'm just grateful you guys welcomed me into your group so easily."

Sebastian reached over and ruffled her hair, "How could we not? You're meant to be here."

She looked up, giving a grateful smile at her friends around her. Sam was standing directly in front of her, arms open wide. Denver stepped forward into the welcoming hug, and he wrapped his arms around her. She pressed her face against his chest and breathed in. His cologne was mixed with the smell of smoke off her clothes, but she couldn't enjoy that for too long before Abigail wrapped an arm around each of their waists and pulled herself in for a group hug.

She stuck her head around, "Sebastian, it's a group hug!" She hiccupped, "Come join us!"

"No chance." He said, softly laughing. 

Sam joined in the laughter before he let go of Denver to pick up Abigail around her waist, "Abby, you need to handle your alcohol a bit better."

Denver stepped back, laughing at them all joking back and forth, when her phone started ringing. She pulled it out of her pocket and took a few more steps back before checking the screen. It was an unknown number, and as she wasn't thinking perfectly clearly, she answered the call quickly.

"Hello?"

Silence on the other end of the line.

"Uh...hello?" 

"...Denver? Why's it so loud? Who's there with you?"

She froze. _Not again._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the cliffhanger!! I think we all saw it coming lol
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!


	5. Making Changes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Starting to get more comfortable in her new life, Denver decides some changes need to be made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to give a huge thank you to everyone commenting and giving kudos!! This is my first project in a few years (lol yikes), so it feels amazing knowing anybody enjoys it, even if just a bit. I know I'm not the greatest writer in the world or anything, but it's surprisingly keeping me sane.

Denver stared at the open call for a brief second before hanging up. Normally, this would've thrown her off. But watching her new friends laughing, joking around, and having a good time gave her a sense of determination. Or, maybe it was the liquid courage. 

She slipped her phone back into her pocket and stepped back up to the group. Sam turned to her and asked softly, "Everything alright?"

She nodded, "Better than alright. Did we pay our tab in there?"

He laughed in response, "Actually, me and Abby covered it this time. Next time, it's on you and our emo nerd."

She agreed, and turned to face the other two. Abigail had her arms around Sebastian's neck, smiling up at him before whispering into his ear. He raised an eyebrow at her, before nudging his head away from the group. He turned to Sam and Denver, "We're gonna get outta here, alright you two?"

Sam smirked, "Lemme guess, Abby too scared to go home drunk?"

Abigail narrowed her eyes, "You know my dad would have a heart attack! At least it's easier getting into Sebastian's room where nobody can hear us sneaking in."

"Plus, my mom adores her." Sebastian shrugged, smiling down at her. They excused themselves shortly after, heading through the town square. Denver smiled at Abigail skipping ahead, and turning around to yell at Sebastian. She watched him tilt his head, hands in his pockets, as he picked up his pace to catch up to her.

Sam also excused himself, saying he took Vincent out every Saturday morning to hang out with Jas so wanted to get to sleep early. She walked along with him until he entered his front door, and she continued along the path. Still feeling buzzed, she wasn't quite ready to head home yet. This newfound sense of determination had her feeling unstoppable. She walked along the river, stopping to stare at the dark hills in the distance. All around her was so much world to explore that she had never experienced before.

Suddenly, she heard her name called out in the distance. "Denver? What are you doing out here?"

She turned, and in the moonlight, she noticed a figure sitting on a small pier at the lake. She walked towards it, when her vision cleared up and she saw Shane sitting, legs dangling over the water. "Shane? I could ask you the same thing."

He motioned to a six-pack of beer next to him, two cans short. "Care to join? I owe you for that slice of pizza."

She smiled and sat down next to him, staring out at the lake. "Damn, that's a really pretty view."

"Uh, yeah... Yeah, it is."

She turned to him, and noticed he was staring at her. Realization hit him as he quickly took a sip from his can, before opening a new can and passing it to her. This was his favorite place to come, especially in the middle of the night when the business of the day had died down. Everyone was home, and nobody could bother or judge him. But for some reason, he didn't mind her company. The peaceful silence shared between the two of them was interrupted when she let out a deep exhale. He turned back to her, "Long day?"

She shook her head, "Actually, I had a great day. Pelican Town's starting to feel more at home."

"So why do you seem like you've got something on your mind?"

She raised an eyebrow and met his eyes, "You're telling me you care enough to hear me out?" 

He shrugged in response, "You can either continue drowning out your sorrows in your drinking, or you can get whatever it is you need to get off your chest. I don't really recommend the prior though, you've got a good future ahead of you."

She pressed her lips into a line, simply staring ahead. "I left the city to get away from my old life. I'm not proud of who I was, but I'm also not proud that it took moving away to the town I visited as a child in order to make a change. Ultimately, I'm away from it all, but... Someone I want to leave behind is still trying to get a hold of me."

"Wait, you have a stalker?"

"I wouldn't say a stalker, just...an ex that I desperately want to leave in the past. He texted me last week, called me again tonight... I don't want him to find me, in all honestly."

"Let me see your phone."

"What?"

"Let me see your phone. Seriously." He reached his hand out, and she placed her phone in his hand. After a moment, he passed it back. "There, I blocked his number. Out of sight, out of mind." 

She gave him a crooked smile, "Thanks, Shane. I really do appreciate this."

He shrugged again, "Yeah, yeah. It's no big deal. Nobody should be dragged down from their past."

"Is that why you drink so much?" Her face flushed as she realized what she said. He looked at her from the corners of his eyes, before he left his head fall.

"I have my reasons. I also have my vice." He took a large drink from his beer, "Plus, nobody needs to hear my woes right now. Wanna go for a walk? The town's really peaceful at night."

He stood up, and reached out a hand for Denver to grab onto. She stumbled upon standing up, and bursted into laughter. "Maybe I've had more to drink than I thought."

He chuckled, "Well no worries, I'm leaving the pack here anyways."

They slowly walked along the dirt path, Denver asking about Shane's past. He opened up briefly, explaining how Jas' parents were his best friends before they passed away tragically. When he got full custody of Jas, he was living in a small one bedroom apartment in a big city, and he knew that wasn't the right place to raise his goddaughter. So abruptly, he picked up everything and moved in with his aunt, Marnie. She welcomed them with open arms, insisting Jas also refers to her as her aunt, and moved mountains to give them both the best life possible. Denver smiled when he got to this part of the story, his eyes lit up when talking about his family. Sure, they were a unique family, but they were _his_ , and that's all that matters.

As they stepped onto the cobblestone walkway, Denver turned and saw a redheaded woman standing outside of a window in Sam's house. Sitting on the windowsill, looking bright as usual, was Sam. He was leaning against the edge on his arm, smiling down at the redhead. Denver didn't recognize her, but she was beautiful. Her short, red hair was styled in curls that framed her own green eyes. As Denver and Shane walked past, Sam's eyes met Denver's. He stopped talking mid-conversation, and gave her a small smile. Color filled up her face as she turned her head forward, continuing to walk past.

Why does she feel so jealous about Sam spending time with this other girl, while here she was, hanging out with another guy? It made no sense. Shane's walls were coming down, from what she could tell. He was kind to her, which apparently wasn't the usual to everybody else. But something about Sam's lively personality was addictive. She hadn't gotten the chance to get to know him quite the same as she had with Shane, but that didn't matter right now. Clearly, his eyes were on someone else. Why else would he lie to her about needing to get to sleep early, just to hang out with someone else?

She glanced back at him, and his eyes were darting between the two women. The redhead leaned her upper body into the window, underneath his arm, and Sam mouthed the word "sorry" to Denver. She rolled her eyes and turned to Shane, "Hey, I'm sorry to cut this short, but I think I need to be getting home for tonight."

They were in the middle of town square by now, and he turned his whole body to face her. "That's okay, was I rambling too much?"

She shook her head, "No, not at all! I'm really enjoying getting to know you, actually. I think I just need to lay down..." Mid-sentence, she felt a recognizable sensation in her stomach. Oh no. She ran over to a bush, puking her guts out.

Shane was next to her in a heartbeat, snickering quietly, "Yup, been here, done that." He reached around, gently pulling stray strands of hair out of her face.

She straightened up, feeling lightheaded and embarrasse beyond belief. "I'm so sorry, I've had-"

"Hey, it's okay," he reached into his pocket and pulled out a napkin, "I started keeping napkins on me at all times when Jas was making messes everywhere. Here, you need it."

She wiped her mouth off, her face bright red. "No, I'm really sorry, this is-"

" _Stop_. It's really no big deal. Let's get you home."

"No offense, but I'd really like to walk alone, if you don't mind..."

He stepped back, raising his hands in defeat. "Fine, fine. You're an independent woman. Just text me when you get home safe, alright?"

She agreed, and slowly made her way home, carefully clutching her stomach. By the time she was finally home, it was nearly two in the morning. She pulled out her phone, sent a quick message to Shane assuring her arrival, and jumped in the shower. 

She let her long hair down, letting the warm water rinse away her worries. After scrubbing away, she stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her body. She looked in the mirror, just staring at her reflection. Her dark brown hair nearly reached her waist, her hazel eyes enhanced by the smudged mascara underneath her eyes that she had missed. She pulled her hair up into a bun, showing off her stretched ears. After making such a drastic life change by moving to a farm and leaving her past, well, in the past, she hadn't changed her physical appearance in years. Mentally, she made a promise to herself that a change would be made. 

Overall satisfied with her day, she changed into an oversized t-shirt and crawled into bed, calling it a day. 

~

Denver woke up the next morning, hearing a knocking on the door. "Just a minute!" She sleepily called out, before climbing out of bed. She pulled a pair of shorts out of a drawer, slipped them on, and opened the front door to see Marnie holding Jas' hand. 

"Good morning, Denver! Jas, say good morning."

Jas shyly smiled, "Morning, Denver."

Denver smiled, leaning forward with her hands on her knees. "Good morning Jas! What're you doing out here?"

Marnie spoke up, "Actually, it's a bit odd. I found a stray dog wandering around our field earlier, but we can't keep him. He seems like a total sweetheart, but we just don't need anymore animals right now, and we felt like you could maybe use the company? No offense, of course."

Denver stepped out, and Marnie motioned towards a german shepherd, sniffing around between some growing daffodils. Immediately, she adored him. She thanked Marnie and Jas, informing them that she was going to name him Link, and plucked a single daffodil, passing it to Jas as a thank you. The next few hours passed by quickly, Denver never changing into normal clothes. Her peaceful day with her new dog changed up when her phone started ringing. She answered the call from Abigail, "Hey! What's up?"

"Hey Den! Can I come over? I'm crazy bored and the guys are busy."

"Didn't you stay the night with Seb?"

"Yeah, but I came home this morning. Didn't wanna deal with my parents panicking."

She agreed, finishing up her last couple of chores when Abby walked up. She walked up, laughing. "Damn, cute outfit there."

Denver gave herself a once-over, "Oh yeah, I guess I got pretty carried away. I probably need to go change."

Abigail reached up, patting the bun on Denver's head. "Yoba, your hair makes a huge bun. I can't stand wearing my hair up."

After thinking for a moment, Denver turned to Abby, "Hey, you mind doing a favor for me?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!!


	6. A Day in the City

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Looking to change up her appearance, Denver and others head into the city for a day of fun. Though enjoyable, she also gets put on the spot.

The following day, Denver walked into town with a newfound confidence about her. Her freshly cut hair barely brushed along her shoulders as she entered the shop, expecting Pierre's cheery yet persuasive voice to greet her as she walked in the door. Instead, she saw Abigail sitting on the front counter, both Sam and Sebastian standing in front of her. Abigail looked up, wide smile on her face as she admired her handiwork.

The boys turned around in sync. Sebastian gave Denver a small smile, "Hey, Abby actually did a pretty good job!"

Sam, on the other hand, pauses for a second before breaking out into a huge grin, "Wow." 

"Thanks, guys," she says, brushing her fingers through her hair, "It feels so much lighter now."

Abigail reached over, playing with it, "Ready to get going?"

Denver nodded, "Ready when you are! I just wanted to grab a drink for the road before we left."

"Woah woah woah," Sam said, "Where are you two going?"

"We're gonna go on a little trip to the city!" Abigail exclaimed.

"And you thought you were gonna leave us two out of it?" Sebastian asked, "I'm totally going. Sam?"

Sam nodded along, wordlessly. Denver smiled, "Well, I hope you guys are cool with riding in my Jeep."

~

The drive to the city was freeing. The windows down, wind flowing through everyone's hair as the music blasted. They spent the time singing along, laughing at each other's odd musical choices, and even surprising each other all enjoying some similar bands. 

After finally finding an acceptable parking spot, the four take to walking down the streets for a while, until coming across a piercing shop. Abigail turned to Denver, "This is the one I told you about!" She grabbed Denver's hand, yanking her inside the small building. 

"Hey Frank! We're here for a nose piercing appointment?" She called over to the bearded man behind the counter. 

The boys turn to Abby, "Wait, you're getting your nose pierced?"

She turned back, "No, actually. Denver is, and...so are you, Sebastian. If you still want to, of course."

His mouth dropped, "You really scheduled an appointment for me?"

"Well, both of you, but yes." She smiled up him, proudly, before pecking a soft kiss on his cheek. "Now both of you, go follow Frank! Sam and I will be right there."

Denver and Sebastian sat in seats next to each other, excitedly discussing the color of the studs they were going to choose. It was odd, how something so small could be so exhilerating for these two. Though small, and seemingly unimportant, this was part of Denver's plan of personal growth, and for Sebastian, well, this was something he's wanted for ages now. Possibly further rebellion, possibly just a simple body modification.

As the piercer prepared his kit, Abby and Sam hurried into the back corner with them. Abby leaned over Sebastian, caressing his cheek, while Sam stood in front of Denver, hands in his pockets. "You ready to do this?" He said softly, with a smirk on his face. 

She smirked back, "Always."

They process was quick, both Denver and Sebastian's eyes welling up with tears as the needle pierced through each nostril. Once they finished up paying, Abigail dragged them all outside once more, insisting on them taking a group picture together. She handed the phone to Sebastian before wrapping her arms around his neck from behind, and Sam placed his arm around Denver and pulled her in. The four young adults smiled for the picture before Abigail and Denver stepped back to admire the picture. After, Abigail whispered in her ear, "Hey, I wanna go surprise Seb with a date. Would you mind?"

Denver shook her head, "Not at all! Go get your man, Abby."

Abby blushed, before stepping up to Sebastian, "Hey, we're gonna go spend some time together in the city for a bit, just you and me."

He raised his eyebrows, "Shouldn't I be the one asking you on a date?"

She laughed, "Not with us. Now let's go, I have some ideas."

The two left watched as Sebastian's arm slid around Abby's waist, before Sam cleared his throat and Denver turned to him. "So... I guess it's just you and me then, huh?" He said slyly. 

Denver took a step towards him, "Yeah, I suppose so."

He proceeded to take a step towards her, bringing them face to face, "What do you have in mind?"

They maintained eye contact for a moment, Denver's eyes just drifting between Sam's own emerald eyes. She leaned forward, lifting herself onto her toes to close more distance. She leaned to the side, gently brushed some of his hair away from his ear, and whispered softly, "I know somewhere we can go." 

She lowered herself back down, and took a small step back. He raised an eyebrow and gave a crooked smile, reaching his arm out for her to grab, "Lead the way." She pulled him along, leading him down the sidewalk arm in arm.

"So," Sam started, "Did you live somewhere near here?"

"I did, actually," She pointed across the street, "Just a few blocks that way, actually. And this," pointing to a building with a red "closed" sign hanging on the door, "used to be my favorite bar. Luckily, it's closed now."

"Luckily?"

"Yeah. Not the greatest memories there."

Flashbacks hit her like a ton of bricks. The weekly partying with "friends," the handsome man with dark hair pulling her away from the bar, even the time a girl threw her drink into Denver's face because she thought she was somebody else. Coincidentally, they grew to become friends after that incident. Unknowingly, her eyes began to water up at these thoughts.

"Hey, are you alright? Sorry if I-"

She shook her head, "No, you're okay, really. It's just...a lot."

Sam loosened her grip on his arm, wrapping it around her shoulders and pulling her in as they continued to stroll through the city. "Well, if you need someone to listen...I've been told I'm a pretty good listener." He looked down at her with a genuine smile.

She smiled back, "Maybe over lunch?"

His smile grew, "I thought you'd never ask."

The next few moments were spent in silence as they walked, Denver ever so slightly leaning into Sam's side, until they reached a small restaurant with a patio. She pulled away and turned up at him, "I've heard great things about this place, but wanted to save it for something special. This seems appropriate." He took a long stride and opened the door, giving her a charming smile.

Just a couple minutes later, they were seated on the patio with menus and glasses of water. Denver pulled the menu towards her, scanning the items on the casual menu. Sam, on the other hand, propped his elbows on the table and rested his chin on his hands. After a moment, Denver glanced up at him skeptically. "Aren't you gonna look at the menu?"

He leaned over, peaking at it briefly before returning to his position. "Already know what I want." 

"Oh. Well, then I guess we're both ready to order."

"Seems like it." He smiled, almost flirtaciously. "So, you gonna use and abuse my ears yet?"

"I said over lunch, not before it." She smiled back, amusingly. "But, I do have questions for you. What's your story?"

He raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

"I mean... I know you lived out here in the city when you were young. But what do you want now?"

"Well, I wanna make music. I want our band to blow up, so I can make music with my life, and be confident in that I'll be successful with it." 

She nodded, "I admire that."

"Also... I wanna ask you something, but besides the lunch conversation." She hummed in response, before the server arrived and took their orders. "So... Sorry if I'm overstepping or anything, but... Is there something going on with you and Shane?"

She tilted her head to the side, nervously cracking her neck, "Uhm... Is this because of the other night?" He nodded. "Well... I could ask you the same thing with you and that girl, honestly. I thought we could hang out, but you obviously wanted to hang out with her instead." Her voice getting quieter as the sentence ended.

He inhaled and visibly swallowed, "You mean Penny." She nodded, pressing her lips together. "Penny is...a different story entirely. I first met her when we moved to the valley, she'd been there her whole life. We grew up close friends, and she's always liked me. I've never actually let her down though, so she still...well, she shoots her shot."

Denver snickered under her breath, "But you're leading her on."

His face was draining of color quickly, "Not intentionally! She's great and all, but..."

"But? But nothing. Either you like her, or you don't. You can't leave her on the backburner because you can't make up your mind."

"Isn't that what you're doing too, though? You're hanging out with Shane in the middle of the night, hitting on me the next-"

"I'm _not_ hitting on you!" Her voice starting to raise.

"Oh really?" He laughed under his breath, "I don't understand half of your signals. I'll be perfectly honest with you, I hardly know you. But that's okay, I like who you are. And I want to get to know you more. But not unless we both figure out exactly what we want."

Denver crossed her arms and pursed her lips as she looked away.

"Den..." He leaned forward, just as the server arrived with their food. He thanked her as she placed their meals down, and turned back to Denver. "Anyway... I'm listening."

She glared at him, chewing on the inside of her cheek. " _Oh_ , you're listening? Okay, fine. I got myself into a lot of trouble, more often than I'd like to admit." She shrugged, unable to maintain eye contact. "I drank more than I should. It was a coping mechanism. I was never thinking clearly, so I allowed myself to stay in a severely toxic relationship. My ex, he...he wasn't a good guy. But I thought it was the best I'd ever have, so I stayed." Her eyes began watering up again as she started toying with her food, refusing to look at the concerned man facing her.

He reached out, offering his hand, which she silently grabbed, still not making eye contact. "Hey... I'm hearing you place a lot of blame on yourself. You know none of those things are your fault, right?"

Her eyes darted up, "How would you know? Like you said, you hardly know me. I'm a mess." She snapped and attempted to pull her hand away before he lightly squeezed. 

"Look... You don't have to talk anymore about it right now if you don't want to. I'm sorry...for all of this. For what it's worth, I'm having a great time with you." He gave an apologetic smile, leaning down to see her face more clearly.

"I am, too. I'd really like to do this again...like you said, for what it's worth."

"Well, let's dig into this amazing looking lunch. I don't want me stomach to start eating itself over here."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!!


	7. The Flower Dance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before Spring ends, Denver attends the Annual Flower Dance.

Spring in Pelican Town was nearing its end. The once cool, humid breeze was transitioning into a warm, still air as the blooming flowers were at their peak. Over another week had passed, each day more fulfilling than the last. Denver's crops were booming, allowing her to save up gold for any future endeavors on, or off, the farm. Monday morning was just beginning, as she carried along, and she was already sweating underneath her black tank top when she received a phone call from Emily.

"Hi Denver! Sorry to call you so early, but I really need your help with something."

"Uh, okay, sure, I'll head over in just a second, if that's alright?"

She set down her supplies before dashing over to Emily's house. She knocked on the front door, and heard Emily from inside, "Come on in Denver!"

Denver opened the front door, face nearly as red as Emily's dress and panting from the run over. "Hey, I came over as fast as I could."

Emily's eyes were wide as she stood behind her couch, "Why the rush? You could've taken your time!"

Pausing for a second, "I... I'm not sure. It sounded urgent."

Emily giggled, "Well, it kinda is. But now you're all sweaty."

Denver looked down, and noticed her skin was glistening with sweat droplets. "Oh shit, my bad... I can run home and shower real quick-"

"You can use our's if you need to! But basically, I'm making myself a dress for the Flower Dance on Wednesday, and I'm having trouble tailoring it on myself.

Denver raised an eyebrow, "Flower Dance?"

"The annual Flower Dance! Basically, all bachelors and bachelorettes in the town come together to dance. You haven't heard of it?" Denver shook her head in response. "That's no good! But no surprise. The group you seem closest with always hate the dance... Well, we'll fix that today!" Emily turned and led Denver into her bedroom, grabbing some spare clothes from her closet. "Here, go take a quick shower and change into this for now."

So Denver did just that, hurrying through a shower and changing into Emily's clothes. It was a simple pair of gray cotton shorts and a red spaghetti strap, but as Emily was significantly taller than Denver, the top hung down further in the front than she preferred. She stepped back out into Emily's living room, watching the blue-haired woman pulling out miscellaneous white fabrics from a trunk. "Oh, there you are! Here, I need to get your measurements first."

She guided Denver to lift up her top to expose her midriff in order to properly take her measurements, before further instructing her to put on her own dress while Emily stepped into her sewing room. 

Consistent with the clothing she was wearing before, Emily's dress draped long over her body. She waited for a few minutes on the couch, listening to Emily's sewing machine running in the other room. Before she knew it, Emily was reentering the room, and quickly got to work on making adjustments to her dress.

"So...how do the pairs get matched up for the dance?"

"They ask each other, of course! It's always the day of, though, so don't stress if nobody's asked yet... Is there someone you're hoping will ask you?"

Denver thought for a moment, "Uhm... Honestly, I'm not sure." Her face flushed a soft pink.

Emily laughed, "It's okay, you might even end up just dancing with a friend! I've had to do it in the past."

Final adjustments were made on Emily's maxi dress, before she walked Denver to her sewing room and began fitting on the makings of a new dress on her. Right before their eyes, a simple above-the-knee dress built up around her body. "It won't be anything too fancy," Emily started, "But on such short notice, it'll do just fine!"

Denver twirled in front of the mirror, complimenting Emily's handiwork up and down. They shared a quick hug before Emily insisted Denver change into her clothes now so she can making finishing details to the dress. Denver changed back into Emily's top and shorts, promising to return them as soon as possible. She walked home with her hands holding her top higher on her chest, trying to scurry as quickly as possible. Head down, she picked up speed as the cobblestone path ended and her feet landed on the dirt. Suddenly, she felt her body crash into another, sending her body onto the hard dirt underneath. 

She grimaced, and looked up to see Shane looking down at her, "Not watching where you're running, I see." He said flatly, reaching a hand out. She grabbed it, helping to pull herself off the ground. She bent down to brush off some of the dirt now covering the back of her legs, her already loose tank top drooping down even further to the point where Shane could clearly see down her shirt.

He turned his body away, averting his eyes. "Uh, your top, it's uh..."

Her head whipped up, and quickly pulled said top back up. "Oh Yoba, I'm..." She loudly exhaled and pressed her lips together in a small smile, "Thanks."

He turned back to her, assuring she was covered up, "Why are you running through here anyways?"

"Oh! These are Emily's clothes, she was helping me make a dress for the Flower Dance." She gave him a half smile, still slightly embarrassed from the clothing mishap.

"That old thing? Jeez, not you, too."

"What are you talking about?"

"That Flower Dance is such an old-fashioned tradition. I usually just don't go at all."

"You should come this year! Who knows, maybe it'd be fun, I don't know..." 

He laughed, "It's never really fun. But we'll see what's going on that day."

She gave him a small smile before excusing herself home to go change. The rest of the day passed by uneventfully, as did the following. Before she knew it, Wednesday had arrived.

As soon as she stepped out of the shower, she heard a knocking on the door. She quickly wrapped a towel around her body and cracked open the door, and saw both Abigail and Emily standing on her porch, bags in both of their hands. "Hi ladies! What are you two doing here?"

Emily spoke up, "We wanted us all to get ready together, it's an exciting day!"

Denver widened the door, "Well come on in!"

Abigail grabbed the edge of the towel, jokingly whistling. 

Denver laughed, "Well, maybe an exciting day for you and me, Em. We both know who's gonna be asking Abby to dance."

"Are you kidding me? Abby laughed along, "I've had to be the one to make all the moves on him! He's definitely too shy to ask me to dance."

Emily gasped, "Abigail, no! You are not asking him today, you need to let him ask you!"

The girls spent the next two hours getting ready, styling their hair, getting dressed, applying their makeup. The three stepped out the door, making the walk to the open field where the dance is annually held. As they entered the area, Denver's eyes scanned the atmosphere ahead of them. Barrels filled with arranged flowers decorated the fenced-in space, as the pink leaves of the trees slowly flowed across the wind. The breeze was warm, and their dresses blew gently as they spoke among themselves.

Mid-conversation, Abby grabbed Denver's wrist and faintly gasped. Denver turned to where she was facing and saw Sebastian and Sam approaching them in their turquoise suits. Sebastian stepped up first, holding something behind his back. "Wow, Abby, you look...incredible."

Her gaped mouth grew into a massive smile, "Thank you," she said, in almost a whisper. They took a moment just to themselves as Abby let go of Denver's wrist, and curled a piece of hair behind her ear. 

His body staggered as if remembering something, and then he pulled out a bouquet from behind his back. Abby gasped, eyes wide. 

"Abigail, will you not only dance with me today, but, uhm..." He began to stutter, and Sam nudged him from behind, "Will you, uhm...be my girlfriend?" He said quickly and quietly, eyes intense.

Her smile grew once more, "Seb, you really...oh my Yoba, of course!" She grabbed his face and pulled him in for a loving kiss, holding for a moment before the two pulled apart. 

Denver turned to Emily and squeeled quietly, ecstatic for her friends. Emily pulled on Denver's wrist and pulled her in for a whisper, "You should totally ask Sam to dance!"

Denver pulled back, shaking her head aggressively as Emily nodded, just as aggressively. As they communicated in silence, Denver heard a delicate voice behind her. "Hey, Sam."

She turned her head as Abby and Sebastian walk off, and saw Penny looking up at Sam. "Er... I was wondering...would you maybe dance with me today?"

Sam's eyes darted to Denver's, holding for a moment before she silently swallowed. He exhaled softly before turning back to Penny, "Yeah, that sounds great." He gave her a weak smile before Denver turned around.

Emily's usually bubbly voice dropped, "Oh, Denver..."

Denver dropped her head before quietly muttering, "It's my own fault," and hastily walking off. Her heart dropped to her stomach. They'd been hanging out together more since that day in the city, texting every day in between work. Maybe it was preemptive of her to assume she'd have a chance, but she had really hoped...

She reached the food tables, pouring herself a glass of punch when she saw Shane in the distance, kneeling down to help Jas fit a flower behind her ear. It kept falling out, and Denver could see Shane's lips pursing out of frustration. She chuckled to herself and made her way over, "Hey, maybe you could use a hand with that?"

Jas looked up and exclaimed, "Denver!"

"Hey sweetie! Here, Shane, let me see that," she placed her hand out and Shane placed the flower in her hand. Denver slipped it behind her ear, weaving it through her hair with ease to secure it. 

With a smile, Jas thanked Denver and ran off to play with Vincent. Shane and Denver both stood up, and he rubbed the back of his neck, "Thanks for that. I thought I could get it, but I guess I was wrong." He looked her up and down for a moment, "Hey, that dress turned out real nice. I never would've guessed Emily made it so quickly."

"Right?" She laughed softly, "She did a really good job."

He gave Denver a crooked smile, "Hey, I don't really do the whole organized dance or anything, but...maybe, do you wanna dance with me after that?"

Her smile grew, "You know what? That sounds perfect."

He reached down, plucked a second flower from the bush he got Jas' from, and he slipped it behind her ear, as well. Denver blushed, thanking him for the accessory. 

The organized dance came and went. Sebastian and Abigail were all smiles and they danced together, whereas Sam continued glancing apologetically at Denver as he danced with Penny in his arms. If anything, this just made Denver all the more determined. Clearly, they were going to continue stepping in circles around each other, and Denver wasn't going to spent the day moping around. Once the main event ended, a slow song began to play over the speakers, and Shane offered a hand out to Denver. She gladly took it, following him out on the dance floor.

He placed his hands on her waist, and she wrapped hers around his neck, smiling up at him. He glanced around the field, watching his aunt dancing with the mayor, Caroline and Pierre, Robin and Demetrius... Watching all of these couples dancing the same way around him made him nervous. 

Denver tilted her head, "Hey, are you okay?"

"Uh, no, it's dumb..."

She shrugged, "We're out here slow dancing at an old-fashioned event. How much dumber can this get?"

He laughed, "I guess you're right. I've just never done this with anyone before."

She raised an eyebrow, "Wait, you've never slow danced with someone before?" He shook his head. "Oh man, now I feel so much pressure to make sure you enjoy yourself."

"I already am, surprisingly."

She smiled up at him, but she felt a stab in her heart. _Oh my Yoba, I'm leading him on._ She started slowly pulling her hands down, and he slipped his hands into hers. "Hey, are you okay? Did I say something?" 

Sighing, she stared at his hands holding hers. "Shane, I... I don't know if I can do this."

He lifted his chin up with a finger, never releasing her hand, "Do what?"

"This. I feel like I'm..." She turned away, "I feel like I'm leading you on. I need to be honest with you."

Shane stopped their movements as the song continued, "You like someone else, don't you?"

She hesitated before slowly nodding, her eyes welling up, "I'm sorry, it was never my intention."

"Hey... If you don't want to do this, you're not forced to do anything. But...that doesn't bother me. I've never felt so comfortable with someone like this. If you want to leave, then leave. I won't stop you. But if you want to finish our dance, I'm not leaving."

She furrowed her brows together and met his eyes, "Shane, I just told you I like someone else. I'm going to hurt you, and I don't want that. You deserve better than that."

He released one of her hands, wrapping his own around her waist and pulling her in closer, "No, I really don't. And no offense, but if that person liked you too, they'd be dancing with you instead of me. So..." he shrugged as the sentence trailed on.

She placed a hand behind his neck, squeezing him in a hug as they slowly picked up the pace to finish out the dance. The song ended, and still holding one of her hands, he guided her off the field and they took a seat on a bale of hay. "Let me guess...Sam?"

Biting the inside of her cheek, she stared down at the grass below them. She didn't even need to respond for him to understand the answer.

"I get it. Thank you for being real with me though. Most people would've kept it up."

"I couldn't do that to you. You've been so great to me, and I really am sorry... I consider you a friend, and I want to continue hanging out with you, but maybe I've messed that up..."

He let go of her hand, placing it back in her own lap. "I'd love to continue hanging out with you, as friends." He gave a crooked smile. 

"Well, if this whole ordeal is just about over, I'd love to get home and change. I love this dress, but I'm really missing a t-shirt right about now."

He chuckled, "At the least, allow me to walk you home."

They left the dance swiftly, Denver not seeing a sign of any of her other friends. She brushed it off, continuing the walk home, just chatting with Shane about other annual traditions in town. The two entered her house, Denver telling Shane to turn the tv on while she changed in her bedroom. Before she could do so, she pulled the flower out of her hair, and placed it in a small glass with some water before pulling some clothes out of her dresser drawers.

She changed quickly, and joined Shane on the couch, spending the rest of the day snacking away and channel surfing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!!


	8. Making Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Denver and Sam both need to get some things off their chests.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone's enjoying the direction I'm taking this in!
> 
> Also, I know in past chapters I've referred to time passing in "Stardew Valley time" (basically each season = one month), but I'm gonna go back and edit that to reflect "normal time" (each season stretches to roughly three months, y'know?). It makes no real difference to the story, other than everyone having more time together, and by this chapter, it's been about three months since the beginning of the story, instead of one. But going forward, I'll be referring to the timeline in that way. Sorry for any confusion. 😅

Summer weather began overnight, a drastic change from the refreshing air in the previous weeks. Instead, stepping outside of the house felt like stepping into a sauna every time. The humidity in the air made clothes stick to skin, and it made Denver grateful for having cut off the length of her hair. It was another Friday evening, and Abby had already mentioned that she and Sebastian would be hanging out just the two of them tonight, so Friday night pool at the saloon was a no-go. Instead, Denver had decided that she was just going to pick up a pizza to-go. 

She stepped into the saloon, completely empty other than Gus behind the counter for now. "Why hello Denver! You must be awfully early tonight, nobody's even here yet."

"Oh, actually I'm just picking up a pizza to-go tonight."

"My apologies, miss. Let me get that going for you then." 

The wait wasn't long, not like Denver had any plans to get to anyways. She paid Gus, grabbed the pizza box, and stepped out the front door. As she descended the front steps, she noticed Sam walking up, hands in his pockets and hood covering his head. They hadn't spoken since the Flower Dance, and she wasn't sure how to go about it quite yet. She scurried out of the way, but he had already noticed her. He reached under his hood and pulled out his earphones, "Hey, Denver!"

She turned over her shoulder and nodded, "Hey," and continued walking across the town square.

He ran up next to her and slowed to her speed, "Just 'hey?' What're you up to?"

"Just heading home."

He took a deep breath and stepped in front of her, bringing her to a halt. "Okay, I get it, you're mad. Can we talk?"

She stared up at him, pursing her lips, "Fine," she sat down on the cobblestone ground, and sat the box of pizza in front of her, "Let's talk."

"That works," he sat down across from her. "Look, I'm sorry."

Reaching across, Denver opened the box of pizza and grabbed a slice. "Whatever for?" she asked sharply, then taking a bite of her slice.

He hesitated, "I wanted to ask you. I really did. I'm just...confused. I don't-"

"I told Shane I was leading him on." She takes another bite.

"W-what? Why?"

"Because I didn't want to give him the wrong idea. He's great, but..." She shrugged, and leaned to the side, bracing herself on her arm. "I wanted to dance with you too, y'know. But I guess Penny was there first."

He looked speechless. His vivid green eyes were wide, his mouth slightly parted. He grabbed a slice of the pizza, "Are you serious?"

She narrowed her eyes, "Am I serious? Sam, I- _Yoba, Sam_." She rubbed her hand across her cheek, "You are seriously oblivious, aren't you?"

"I really thought you just wanted to stay friends after we talked at that restaurant..."

"Sam, you're insane."

"Exactly! Look, you need to go talk to Shane," he started standing up, setting his unfinished piece of pizza back in the box, "He's been good to you, and I don't know if I can-"

Denver reached up and grabbed his hand, "Don't leave! We're supposed to be talking!" She used his hand to pull herself up, setting him slightly off-balance. 

"No, Den, you aren't understanding me. If you've been having a good time with Shane, then go be with Shane!"

This made her snap, "I don't want to be with Shane, I want to be with you!" His mouth hung open, staring into her eyes. She stepped backwards, letting go of his hand, "But only if you want to be with me, too. But you need to be honest with me, and honest with Penny, and honest with yourself."

Denver looked past Sam, and saw Abby and Sebastian walking hand-in hand behind him. He ran his hands through his hair, knocking his hood down, "I know what I want, I just hate that someone has to be hurt either way..."

She made eye contact with Abby, and turned around. She closed her eyes, steadying her breathing. Behind her, she heard Abby softly, "Denver? Sam?" She shook her head, bending over to grab the pizza box.

"Denver, please don't leave..." He pleaded quietly, taking a step forward.

She whipped around, and saw Sebastian behind Sam, holding onto his shoulder. Abby was to her side, but she wasn't even listening anymore. "No, you can't beg me to stay when you're just gonna leave for another girl, anyways." She spoke calmly. 

Abby grabbed her left arm, "Hey, let's go take a walk. Just you and me."

Denver wasn't breaking eye contact with the blonde, challenging him to say something. She saw Sebastian speaking to Sam, but couldn't make out the words. Ultimately, Sam turned around, "Just go."

Her blood was boiling. She looked down at the open pizza box in her arms, and before she could even stop herself, she threw the box at his feet. Turning around, Denver heard Sebastian say simply, "Damn."

She stormed off, tears spilling from her eyes. She knew what she wanted, and was willing to give up anything else to give this a shot. What was so wrong with her that he wasn't willing to do the same? 

Abigail followed Denver across the bridge to the beach, both walking in silence besides the sniffling. She walked down the pier, sitting on the very edge. Quietly, she asked Abby, "Am I expecting too much? I just want him to make up his mind..."

"Let me guess, he won't tell Penny anything?"

"Nothing! He told me he hasn't let her down. And then tells me to go be with Shane, when I don't want to be with Shane, I..." She groaned, running a hand through her hair. 

"You wanna be with Sam."

The tears flowed silently. "Is that crazy? I haven't been here that long, I know, I just...there's something about him..."

Abby nodded, "I get it. For what it's worth, he wants to be with you, too." Denver faced her, confusingly. "He talks about you all the time. When we're at band practice, he'd rather text you. When he's at work, he'd rather be with you. Quite frankly, it's pretty annoying." She chuckled, watching her legs swing over the ledge. "I really think you gotta go back and talk to him."

Denver shrugged, "The ball's in his court. I put all my words on the table, but if he's not gonna say anything to Penny, then it's all useless."

~

"Just go," he said under his breath, eyes on his feet. 

"Dude, what are you doing?" Sebastian whispered.

Suddenly, Sam felt something his the back of his legs. He turned around and saw the pizza box on the ground, slices of pizza scattered everywhere. He looked up to say something when he saw Denver forging ahead. He felt a pain in his chest as he heard Sebastian whisper again, "Come on, we need to talk," as he pulled him away by his shoulder. 

He shoved his hands in his pockets and pulled his hood back up over his head. He sat down on a nearby bench, put his face in his hands and groaned aloud. Sebastian sighed in response, "Dude. She's got a point, you know."

"No shit," his voice muffled through his hands, "I royally fucked up."

Sebastian shrugged, standing in front of him with his hands in his sweater pockets, "Yeah, kinda. But you can fix it."

The sun had completely set at this point, and the only lighting was from the lightpoles surrounding town square. Sam lifted his head, dragging his hands down his face. "I need to go talk to Penny."

Sebastian nodded, "Yeah, that sounds like your best idea yet. I'll be here."

Sam stood up and made his way over to Penny's trailer. He knocked on the door, and Pam opened it soon after. "Hey kid," she said, "Here for Penny?" He nodded, and she said it'd be just a minute. He waited outside for a brief moment until she stepped out.

"Hi Sam!" She grinned, "What're you doing over here?"

"We need to talk." His lips were pressed together, and her smile began to drop.

"Is something wrong?" She stepped forward, and he took a small step back.

He took a deep breath, and firmly exhaled. "I need to apologize."

"What for?" She held both of her hands in front of her.

"I haven't been honest with you," he slowly turned around, pacing around on the property, "I... I like someone."

Her eyebrows knitted, "Why didn't you just say so? I thought...I thought you liked me back."

He squeezed his eyes shut, "I know, I fucked up. I should've told you ages ago that I didn't feel the same, but instead, I... I led you on. I'm so sorry." 

He turned to her, and watched her fight back tears. "I understand, Sam... Whatever makes you happy."

He smiled weakly, "Thank you."

Her hands adjusted to grip her elbows, "I'm gonna go inside now... I hope we can still be friends."

"I'd really like that."

He sulked back to the bench to see Sebastian sitting on the back, looking up at the sky. His head turned when he heard Sam's dragging footsteps. "Got that handled?"

Sam nodded slowly, "Yeah... Come with me to find the girls?"

Sebastian jumped off the bench as the two walked towards the beach. They walked in silence for a few moments until they reached the sandy beach. The two looked up, and saw the girls in the distance, sitting on the pier. Sebastian nudged his head towards them, "That's all you, dude. Just send Abby this way." Sam nodded in agreement as he trekked through the sand.

He crossed the pier quickly, taking long strides. He stood behind the girls, both silently looking ahead at the vast ocean. Abby heard his footsteps and looked up at Sam, giving him a doleful smile. He reached his hand out, and she grabbed it and pulled herself up. Once standing, she crouched and gave Denver a hug before making her way back to the beach.

He sat down next to her, joining in her silence as he watched the peaceful waves. The moonlight shined off the rippling water, gentle waves reaching Denver's feet as they hung off the pier. He pulled his shoes off, dipping his feet fully in the water.

She looked over to him out of the corner of her eyes, "Your jeans are gonna be soaked."

He shrugged, seeing her half smile out of his peripheral. "They're just jeans," he reached out and toyed with a hole in his knee, "Some water won't hurt them."

They continued to sit in silence until he playfully kicked water in her direction. "Hey!" She exclaimed, laughing. She kicked some back, splashing water onto his shirt. 

"Oh, now you're gonna get it," He leaned forward, reaching into the water until his whole body fell completely under water.

Denver's eyes widened, "Sam!"

His head came above water, eyes squinting as he rubbed water out of his face. "Damn, the water's surpsingly deep here."

She smiled down at the blonde, his normally spiked hair soaked and dripping down his face as he tread the water. "So... I talked to Penny." She pressed her lips together. "I told her the truth... I'm into somebody else."

She raised an eyebrow, "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah," he smirked, and swam between her legs, grabbing the pier on either side of her thighs, "I'm just kinda hoping she feels the same way."

Denver leaned down, wrapping her arms around his neck, "I think your chances are pretty good."

His half-smile grew, "You shouldn't have done that." Before Denver ever had a chance to question it, he pulled her into the water with him, snaking his arms around her waist.

"Oh my Yoba, it's so cold, Sam!" 

He laughed in response, "I'm well aware."

Still holding each other, she leaned her head back and soaked her hair. They stayed still in peaceful silence for a moment as she admired the smiling man in front of her. His green eyes reflected the moonlight, the saltwater dripping down his face. She loosened her grip to sweep a piece of hair out of his face, and she noticed a flush to his cheeks. Without a word, he reached a hand up to the pier to drag the two closer to the shore, so his feet could comfortably reach the ground. Once stable, he pulled her in closer from the waist, prompting her to wrap her legs around him. 

Sam reached up, curling some stray pieces of hair behind her ear, and left his hand on her cheek, gently caressing with her thumb. He softly spoke up after moments of silence, "Can I kiss you?"

Her heart raced, "I thought you'd never ask." 

He pulled her face to his, closing the distance between their lips. She sharply inhaled as they kissed, and she felt his muscles tense up under her. His knees grew weak as all he could focus on was how soft her lips were against his. He kissed her once. Twice. She ran a hand through his hair, gripping it and pulling him impossibly closer.

Eventually, they pulled apart, both out of breath. She smiled at him and pressed her forehead against his as she felt him shiver beneath her. "Are you okay?" She asked, quietly.

"Not gonna lie, the jacket's kinda weighing me down," he chuckled. 

She pulled away, hearing him whimper under his breath. She kept her legs wrapped around him while using her hands to unzip his jacket, sliding it off his shoulders. He pulled his arms out of the sleeves, and she tossed the jacket onto the pier above them. His bright red t-shirt was clinging to every curve of his chest, and she couldn't help but stroke from his chest to his abdomen. She met his eyes, and he gave a subtle nod, giving her permission to slide his shirt off over his head, and tossed it alongside the jacket.

His hand reached along her back, playing with the hem of her shirt. She leaned forward and kissed his cheek, before whispering in his ear, "Take it off."

She raised her arms as he lifted off the shirt, showing off a lacey black bra underneath. He pulled her closer for another kiss, slowly kissing from her lips, to her jawline, down her neck and across her chest. He felt her breath hitch, and he reached an arm to grip underneath a thigh. Her heart pounding through her chest, she lightly grinded against him.

There was nobody else in the world right now...until they heard whistling coming from the beach. They pulled apart as Denver turned her head to look, and there she saw Abigail and Sebastian on the beach. Abigail ran down the pier, Sebastian slowly following. "Okay you two, we're interrupting!"

Sam groaned jokingly, "Aren't you guys supposed to be having 'you' time right now?"

Sebastian laughed, "Consider this payback for interrupting us earlier."

Abigail took a glance down at her two tangled friends, and then examined the clothes scattered along the pier. "Oh. My. Yoba. Sebastian, we _really_ interrupted." She looked at him with wide eyes, and he curled over in laughter. 

Denver buried her face in Sam's chest in embarrassment. They've been completely busted stripping away at the beach.

"Oh shit, I felt bad for a second, but now I'm kinda thinking...this wouldn't have happened without us anyways, so fuck it." Sebastian couldn't contain his laughter, unzipping his jacket in the process. 

Abigail grabbed Denver's top, passing it down to her. Denver thanked her, slipping her shirt back on. Sam pouted up at Abigail, "Hey, not gonna pass me my shirt?"

She laughed, "Nah, you're on your own."

"So are you," Sebastian said from behind her, and he grabbed Abby from around the waist and jumped in the water, pulling her in with him. She screamed as they jumped through the air, both slipping underwater for a brief moment before coming up for air. Abigail's hood stuck to the top of her head, and Sebastian's hair blocked all view of his face. Sam quickly pecked Denver on the lips before he swam over to Sebastian, quickly ducking his head underwater again right after he brushed his hair away.

Hours passed, with the four of them having the time of their lives. By the time it reached midnight, they were sitting on the beach, talking about life and anything else that came to their minds. Denver leaned over to Sam, "Shouldn't you be heading home soon? You gotta take Vincent out tomorrow."

He smiled at her before giving a quick kiss, "Nah, my mom can take tomorrow's shift. I'd rather be here."

Sebastian was leaning back on his hands, legs extended while Abigail laid her head on his lap. He smiled down at her, "Well, someone's falling asleep over here, so I think we better get heading out."

They exchanged goodbyes as they walked back into town. Denver laid on her side in the sand, looking up at the blonde watching his friends walk away. "Your hair looks really good down, I'm kinda surprised you don't wear it down more often."

He turned to her, "Don't count on that," softly laughing, "It'll be spiked again tomorrow." He laid down on his side next to her, grabbing her chin and pulling her in for a kiss. The one kiss turned into two, then three, and continued as the two kissed urgently, like tonight was the last night they had to feel each other's lips. Sam turned her onto her back as he propped himself up on his elbows above her. Their hands were racing across each other's bodies as Sam's lips reached Denver's neck. She moaned quietly as he gently bit her delicate skin, and at that moment, she couldn't even think clear thoughts.

"Sam," she barely managed through broken breath. He pulled away, and she pulled herself up to meet his lips once more. "I think, maybe we should-"

"I'm sorry," he sat up, "Is this too fast? I don't wanna rush anything if you don't-"

Their breath blended together before she spoke up, "No, actually I was wondering... Should we go back to my house?"

She waited in anticipation while his eyes scanned hers, "Are you sure?"

Desperately nodding, she grabbed his shirt and yanked him in for another kiss. Their lips so aggressively gliding along each other's, they felt raw. But it was oh, so worth it. His hand slid down her sides, playing with the hem of her shirt before reaching underneath. He placed his hand on her bare back and lifted her up, so they were sitting up when he pulled away. They both stood up, and walked across the beach, past the town, and through the farmlands before making their way to her front porch. She stood on the first step and turned around to face him when he spoke, "Denver, we really don't have to if-"

She cut him off when she pressed her lips to his. It was rough, but she couldn't contain herself. He wrapped his arms around her, walking her backwards until her back hit the door. He fiddled with the doorknob for a moment, as Denver thanked herself for leaving it unlocked when she left earlier. They finally entered the house, and they closed the door behind them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHH sorry this chapter is so long! I'm thinking I got a tad carried away. 😬 
> 
> I was gonna keep the love triangle theme going for a while, but it was starting to make me feel bad tbh lol. 
> 
> Now I'm just debating...do I wanna write the next chapter all smutty? Or kinda just leave implications? 😅
> 
> Either way, thank you so much for reading!!


	9. Cloud Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of Denver and Sam confessing their feelings for each other.

Denver's mind was racing as they entered her house. Her face was red, her heart was pounding out of her chest, and all she could focus on was the feeling of Sam's lips against her own. However, this didn't stop her thoughts from wandering - she didn't want this to end. He had her pressed against the wall, his hands gripping to her hips as he kissed up and down her neck, softly biting at one point. She gasped and grabbed handfuls of his hair, pulling him up to meet her lips.

He smiled into their kiss and pulled away, his eyes skimming her face. Her cheeks were flushed a deep red, her hazel eyes opened and met his own. Her lips were parted, and he could see the confusion wash over her face. "Is everything okay?" She asked, softly enough to be a whisper.

"More than okay," he smiled back, "I just want to enjoy this moment."

Brushing her hand through his hair, she sharply inhaled as he grabbed it abruptly and held it against the wall. Her kissed her once more, tugging on her bottom lip with his teeth. She smiled back, yanking his still damp jacket off of his shoulder with her free hand. He released her hand and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her along backwards until the back of his legs hit the couch. Denver pushed him onto the couch, and took a seat above him, straddling his thighs. They quickly worked together to throw his jacket onto the floor, his shirt following shortly after. Sam tilted his head and Denver moved her lips from his, slowly kissing down his neck, across his Adam's apple, and onto his chest. He gripped her hair, pulling her head up. "Hey now, you gotta catch up here." She smirked as he pulled her top off, throwing it onto the floor as well. He grabbed her hips, positioning her next to him to lay down on the couch as he climbed in between her legs. 

"Denver, you're...stunning." He said softly, as his eyes admired the soft body below him. The black lacey bra, the jeans hitting right below a pierced belly button, her short wet hair sprawled along the pillow before her. He felt a blush creep up his face as he stroked his fingers along her waist, slowly approaching her breasts. Gently placing his hands on the cups of her bra, she giggled softly. "What?" He looks up, concern in his eyes.

She arched her back, and reached behind her to unclasp the bra, casting it aside. He kept his hands gripping her waist, almost hesitant. "Sam, you can touch me if you want."

He took her cue, cupping her soft breasts in his hands as he leaned closer, roughly pressing another kiss to her lips. He softly squeezed, his thumbs grazing over her nipples. She moaned softly into his mouth, bucking her hips forward to meet his. The heat in her chest moved down to her stomach as desire washed over her. She reached down and slowly began undoing his jeans, and he used a free hand to help her pull off his jeans, tight as the slipped down his hips. She kept her hand down there, massaging him through his bright blue boxers. A moan escaped his lips, making Denver grin with pride. He sat up, and pulled her jeans down to match. Her red panties sat on her hips, and he noticed a gray tattoo curved across her right hip, ending right above where her thigh began. His fingers curiously dragged across her skin, and she smiled, "Wanna see the whole piece?"

He met her eyes, nodding silently. She sat up, never breaking eye contact and she slid her panties off and turned to the side. A black and white skull covered the side of upper thigh, with smoke and roses continuing along her hips and covering her cheek. He was still staring when she stood up, and glanced at him over her shoulder, "Wanna take this into the room?"

The lust was dripping off her lips, and all he wanted to do was taste it. He nodded, following her into the bedroom, leaving the door open. She sat on the edge, legs crossed. Even in this darker room, he could feel her staring at him too. When she moved into town, he never would've guessed in a million years that he'd be the one with her in this moment, her seemingly wanting him as much as he wanted - no, needed her. 

She interrupted his thoughts, "Are you gonna keep staring, or would you like to join me?" He hurried over, laying her down on the bed. He pulled his boxers down before laying on top of her, pressing himself against her. He kissing down her neck again, brushing his lips across her chest before rounding his lips onto her nipple, sucking lightly before taking it between his teeth. She moaned as she reached a hand between them, wrapping her fingers around him. He uncontrollably bucked into her hand, before his cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Luckily, she didn't seem to mind as she began to stroke him.

Before getting too carried away, he pulled away and a whimper came from her lips. She was hot, and all she could think about was how badly she wanted him. He seemed to pick up on these signs as he kissed down her stomach, gently pulling on her belly ring with his teeth before entering her with a single finger. "Yoba, you're so wet," he said quietly, almost surprised.

She giggled in between broken breaths, "Sam, I want you."

Realization hit him as he pulled out, "Oh shit, Denver I just realized, I don't have any condoms on me." He stopped, examining her eyes. "I'm so sorry, I didn't even-"

She pointed to her bedside table, "Top drawer."

He quickly opened up the drawer, pulling a condom out of the box before putting it on, and making his way back on top of her. Desperately, she pulled him back in for more kisses as he slid his finger back in her, before quickly adding a second. Their lips slammed together before he gently replaced his fingers and slowly entered her. She moaned into his lips as she adjusted, and he pressed his forehead against hers as they picked up the pace.

Her eyelids opened slowly, and his emerald eyes met hers. "Is this okay?" he asked, almost a whisper.

She smiled, and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Absolutely."

~

Denver laid back on her bed, still attempting to catch her breath. Sam was next to her, laying on his side as he brushed stray hairs out of her face. Blonde hairs were sticking to his forehead, glistening with sweat even in the dark room. She smiled and pressed a soft peck to his lips before sitting up. Bending down to the floor, she grabbed Sam's t-shirt and slipped it over her head, before pulling a clean pair of underwear out of a dresser drawer.

"Damn, my shirt looks really good on you." He chuckled, once she turned on the lamp by the doorway. He quickly gathered the rest of his clothing, slipping everything on minus the shirt.

Facing him, she did a quick twirl, "Oh yeah? Don't say that, or you'll end up missing all your shirts."

"I can't say I'd necessarily mind that," he stood up, walking over to her, "Red really is your color. It brings out that blush on your cheeks. By the way, can I go get a water?"

She smiled up at him, "Oh yeah, there's a cup on the counter, make yourself at home. I'm gonna step outside real quick."

He looked her up and down, "You're not gonna get dressed?"

"It's kinda late," she shrugged, "The likelihood of anyone coming around is slim to none."

At this, she grabbed her pack of cigarettes off of her coffee table and stepped out on her front porch. Although it was late, the warm air circled around her in a brisk breeze. She propped her elbows on the railing, lighting her cigarette and inhaling. As she exhaled, she stared up at the smoke traveling towards the sky. Just a couple of months ago, she sat on the steps below her with the same blonde standing inside of her home. As the door behind her opened, he had a wide grin on his face as he looked at her. She had once thought that night, just a couple months ago, had brought her such peace...but no, this was peace.

He leaned on the railing next to her, glancing up at the sky. "The stars really are beautiful tonight." She nodded in response, and he continued, "I like to stare at the sky and wait for a UFO to pass by."

Laughing at this, the two continued to talk idly about whatever came to mind. Just a few minutes had passed when he asked, "Hey, can I hit that?"

She squinted at him, "I thought you didn't smoke?"

"I don't, but for some reason, it sounds really nice right now."

"Fine, but don't make a habit of it," she said, passing it to him. "I'm gonna go pee real quick."

She stepped inside the house, closing the door behind her. The open windows allowed the breeze to still come through the still house, and she finished her business quickly. As she exited the bathroom, she heard multiple voices. From what could be heard, she definitely recognized Sam's, but the other seemed quieter. She stood still on the opposite side of the front door for a moment, trying to make out the conversation. 

"Come on dude, go home."

"Sam, I- I'm just here to see...to see Denver."

"It's late as fuck right now-"

"Then why are you here?"

Denver cracked the door, not even having a chance to see who's outside before the door was pushed open into here. She stumbled back, falling back onto the wood floors. Through the door, entered a stumbling Shane. She adjusted quickly, pulling her shirt as far down as possible to cover herself.

"Hey, Shane! The fuck do you think you're doing? You can't just barge in-"

"I told you," Shane glared at Sam with daggers in his eyes, "I just wanted to come talk to D-Denver." He swayed as he spoke, clearly unable to keep his balance.

"It's, what, two in the morning? Why the hell would you think you can just barge in?" Sam shoulder-checked him as he reached a hand down to Denver, "Hey, go put some shorts on, I'll take care of this." He helped her stand up as she used her free hand to pull her shirt down, and hurried into her bedroom, closing the door behind her.

Sam turned back to Shane, just as Shane spat in his face, "The fuck are _you_ doing here?"

"Shane." Sam said sternly, "You need to go home. It's two in the morning. Do I need to call someone?"

Shane stepped forward, pushing Sam, "Oh fuck off, pretty boy. I'm perfectly-" He stumbled, barely catching his balance against the wall, "Perfectly fine."

"Clearly," Sam rolled his eyes as he reached a hand out, "Come on-"

Shane slapped his hand away and stood up, "No, you come on! I just wanted to come hang out with her again!"

Sam crossed his arms, deeply exhaling, as Denver opened the door slowly. "Shane, you gotta go home."

His eyes widened, finally processing everything as he noticed Denver wearing a shirt too big for her shoulders, and Sam coincidentally not wearing one at all. "Oh... Oh, so you really lowered your standards, huh Den-Denver? This douche had you all bummed out after that stupid ass dance, and you strung me along until...until whatever this shit is."

"Shane, I-" She tried to speak.

"No, no, I'm done. I thought maybe we could make things work, but obviously, I'm just being used-"

"Shane," Sam spoke up, "Go home. Figure your shit out." He opened up the front door, motioning for him to exit. 

Shane turned before he exited completely through the doorway, "Next time your little fuck buddy doesn't have enough common sense to realize that an amazing woman is standing right in front of him, don't come crying to me." He left the house, stomping down the front steps.

Sam stood in the doorway, making sure he finished making his way off the property before he closed the door and turned to Denver. "Hey, so, uhm...maybe I should get going home..."

"Sam, hold on..." She stepped to him, grabbing his hand. "He was drunk, I don't even understand..."

"Understand what, exactly? Yoba, Denver, we just slept together and here comes Shane at two in the morning, clearly expecting...I don't know, something!" He pulled his hand away from her, brushing it through his hair.

"And you think I know what he wanted? Sam, that has nothing to do with us!"

"Oh really?" He scoffed, "The same dude that you were leading on shows up at your house, clearly wanting to 'make things work,' but...make what work, exactly?"

"Sam, you're being ridiculous! We said we'd just be friends, and-"

"And you stayed together after the dance? Was it here? I'm not the only guy you've brought here, and obviously-"

" _Sam!_ This is all stupid. Nothing ever happened with us! Why don't you believe me?"

"I just, thought what we have..."

"Is all I want." She finished his sentence. She stepped towards him again, gazing into his eyes. "That was ridiculous, I know, but none of that is what you think. I mean, come on, didn't you hear what he really said? I was all upset after the dance..."

He paused, pursing his lips as he stared out the window. "So you talked to him, and ignored me for days."

She felt her ears heat up, chewing on the inside of her cheek to try to refrain from continuing this argument.

"Yoba, I almost believed you."

"You almost- _what?!_ You think all of this was, what, a ploy? Some big lie to get you to sleep with me? You're not fucking stupid, Sam, don't act like it!" She pushed past him, "I need a smoke."

"Of course you do, go act like Sebastian and smoke all your problems away!" She picked up her pack of cigarettes and pulled one out. "What, now you're not gonna say anything? You really are just trying to avoid-"

" _Shut up!_ " She threw her now-empty pack of cigarettes, it bouncing off of his chest. "If you don't believe me over something so stupid, you obviously don't trust me, so just leave!" 

He stepped into the open doorway, and she met him there. "Fine, I will, just move."

She stood on her toes, getting in his face, "Make me," she said through gritted teeth.

It didn't take long for the tension between them to build, before Sam grabbed her face and roughly pressed his lips on hers. He pulled her inside the house, never pulling away. She followed as he turned her around, him still holding her face. He pulled his face away, "I really do gotta get going home," he said softly. He caressed her cheek with her thumb, "But I am sorry."

She smiled up at him, "It's okay, I'd be confused too, with the context given. Are we..."

"Okay?" He asked, and pressed a kiss to her forehead, "Of course. See you tomorrow?"

She nodded, "Want your shirt back?"

He shook his head, "Not at all. I'd love to see you wearing that again soon."

Shortly after, he pulled on his jacket and zipped it up, disguising his missing shirt underneath. He kissed her goodbye as he left the house, leaving Denver on cloud nine as she went to sleep for the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GJAFJ;ASGHJA Sorry y'all, I suck at writing sexy scenes. 🥺 I tried my best lol
> 
> Did anyone really think it was all gonna be so easy? Because it never really is. 😅 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!!


	10. Resurfacing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While the group comes together to plan an upcoming party, Denver is forced to reminisce on her past relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been a little while since my last update! I've been hesitant to continue in this direction, and needed some extra time to sort through my ideas on how to advance this story. 
> 
> I hope someone enjoys this. 🥰

“If you had to go to an abandoned island, what are three things you’d want to bring with you?”

Raising an eyebrow, Denver turned to Abigail over her shoulder, “That’s so unrealistic. Why would I have to go to an abandoned island with only three items? That sounds like the lamest vacation ever.”

Abigail laughed, “It’s not supposed to be realistic! Just humor me.”

Denver’s legs were lazily draped across Sam’s lap as they sat on her couch, which he consistently drummed along. She gently nudged him with her knee, “You first.”

“Well I’d have to survive, so obviously I’d bring along some food.”

At this, Sebastian laughed, “Just a completely unreasonable amount of pizza?”

“Would you have any better ideas?”

“First things first, I’d bring my cigarettes.”

Denver nodded in agreement, “I second that!”

Abigail rolled her eyes, “You’re all so impractical. The very first thing that comes to my mind is my sword. Gotta slay a monster? Sword. Gotta cut open a coconut? Sword. It’s a win-win.”

The lighthearted conversation continued for a while as everyone killed time on the unbearably hot summer day. Two weeks had passed slower than the days had throughout spring, mostly due to the miserable heat that drowned out any motivation. Even on a simple Thursday like today, being productive first thing in the morning was the only way to get anything done. Denver’s crop field was filled with a variety of blueberries, peppers, melons, and tomatoes, setting her up for a profitable season...if only the heat would lighten up. 

Every day was passing about the same - wake up, begin chores immediately, finish them up as quickly as possible, shower, the group gathers at her house according to their schedules to enjoy air conditioning and company. Today was no different, especially as Denver stepped out of the bathroom to see Abby already sprawled across the seat in front of the tv. Though the lack of alone time was something Denver wasn’t used to whatsoever, she welcomed it nonetheless. Although overwhelming at some points, it was a constant reminder of her new family. Not to mention, it was also a pleasant distraction from the crippling anxiety she fought with in her head.

“Denver, did you hear me?” She snapped out of it, meeting her boyfriend’s eyes. _Boyfriend._ At least, she thought of him that way. Nothing had been made official, but at the very least, they were an “item.” Mornings started with good morning texts, greetings were beginning with a flurry of kisses as if they hadn’t seen each other at least in the days before. 

“Sorry, I kinda zoned out. What’d you say?”

He smirked, “I asked if you liked parties."

She raised an eyebrow, “Um… Yeah, I can do parties. What party are we going to?”

Sebastian chuckled under his breath, “Wow, you really didn’t catch any of that conversation?” She shook her head in response. “Sam’s birthday is next week, and we wanna throw a party on Saturday. You down to help?”

Swallowing, she hesitated for a moment before answering, “Yeah, of course! Just tell me what you need.” She then turned back to Sam, “Which day is your birthday?” 

“Wednesday! Turning the big twenty-three. Sebastian won’t be the only old one of us anymore!” His smile grew as he eyed Sebastian, waiting for his inevitable reaction.

“Hey!” Like clockwork, Sebastian grabbed one of his sneakers off the ground and tossed it at Sam. “Twenty-three isn’t old, it’s just that awkward age where you realize you gotta get your shit together. Sounds like you’re gonna have to get your’s figured out soon.”

Sam rolled his eyes, “Oh please, I have my shit together!” As he continued to prove his case, Abby turned to Denver and noticed the rhythmic tapping of her fingers against her opposite arm, her pursed lips, her normally bright hazel eyes now glazed over in thought. Abby reached over, tapping her on the shoulder until their eyes met. She nodded towards the door, and Denver stood up when she realized what she meant. 

The two step outside the front door, out of the cool air in the room and into the blistering heat of the outdoors. Denver pulled her trademark hair band off of her wrist, tying her short hair into a small ponytail, before reaching for the cigarette pack on the railing and lighting one up. “What’s up?” she asked Abby, holding her cigarette in between her lips.

“I could ask you the same thing,” Abby started slowly, “You seem kinda off. You alright?”

Denver nodded, exhaling a cloud of smoke, “I’m fine, what do you mean?”

“No use in lying. Don’t think we haven’t noticed that you don’t like to talk much about yourself. You don’t seem too excited about the idea of the party.” Denver met Abby’s eyes, and noticed her clear blue eyes were filled with concern.

She took another deep inhale from her cigarette, “Honestly? I stopped going to parties when I left the city. Not just because I moved to a small town, but just… I have a history. You know that.”

Abby pressed her lips into a straight line, “You’ve mentioned it, but you never say what it actually is. Denver, you have friends who care about you, but we know so little about you.”

Thoughts filled Denver’s mind, memories from what feels like a lifetime ago. Images of her blitzed out of her mind, dancing on top of a patio table while her boyfriend cheered her on.

_Her tight bodycon dress hugged all of her curves, barely reaching her mid-thigh. Still long brown hair draped down her back in loose curls, her eyes accentuated by a dark smokey eye, paired with a deep red lip. Her body swayed to the music, mind perceiving the moment in almost slow-motion. Flashing lights lit up the backyard, where crowds of people were all gathered in groups partaking in various activities._

_She glanced down at the dark haired man below her, who stared back at her with warm brown eyes and a wide, almost playful smile. He reached a hand around her waist, which she turned towards as he carefully pulled her off the table and placed her on the floor. His lips moved as he spoke to her, but none of the words processed in her head. The loud bass from the music, strangers bumping into her as they danced away, the intoxication flooding her mind._

_He lifted her chin with his fingers, forcing her to face him again. His touch was gentle, caring, loving. Her lips were parted as she tried to make out his words. “Maybe we should get outta here?”_

_She nodded slowly, indicating to him that he needed to guide her out. He held her hand as he weaved through the crowd, all the way until they reached the front lawn, and another guy approached them. “Hey dude, who’s this?”_

_Her boyfriend gave a small wave, “Oh, hey David, this is, uh… Denver.”_

_The sudden stop made Denver stumble, prompting her to grip his shoulder for balance. She smiled at the unfamiliar face, “I’m his girlfriend!” She reached a hand out for a handshake, but he pointedly turned from her and stared at her boyfriend._

_“Girlfriend? Dude, don’t you have a girlfriend already?”_

_“You don’t know what you’re-”_

_The new face reached an arm out and shoved her boyfriend, knocking Denver onto the grass lawn below her. Slowly, the revelation processed in her mind as the gears worked together to turn, her last two brain cells bouncing around in her skull. The two guys continued to push each other, as Denver carefully stood herself up. “Wait… You’re cheating on me?”_

_Her boyfriend turned to her, “Denver, I can explain.”_

_The second guy pushed her boyfriend over, catching her attention. “Yes, Denver, he’s cheating on you. I have no idea how long you’ve been together, but this asshole has a girlfriend waiting in her apartment for him to come by.”_

_She turned to her boyfriend - his eyebrows were furrowed, his mouth dropped open. “Denver, I’m so sorry, really, I can- I can explain…”_

_As her eyes began to water, she stumbled backwards, “Fuck off, Kel. I’ll find my own way home.”_

~

By the end of the story, Abby had placed a hand on Denver’s own. She took one last drag from her cigarette before putting it out in the ashtray. “So ultimately… I found out he had been cheating on me for over a year. I was young, we met through work, fell in love way too quickly. We each had our own apartment, which I found out later he shared with his other girlfriend. I have no idea what happened after that, other than she left him, because he never stopped begging me to come back to him. He’d come over to my apartment, he’d call my friends asking where I was… It scared me. That’s when I moved out here. I stopped partying, stopped drinking as much, stopped taking whatever drugs I was on at the time… And I feel like that life still tries to drag me back.”

Abby squeezed Denver’s hand, “Wow… I had no idea all of this happened to you, Den. I’m so sorry…”

Denver shook her head, “You don’t have to apologize, I never mentioned any of it. It’s not that I felt like I couldn’t tell you guys, it’s more like…out of sight, out of mind, y’know? Like if I never talked about it again, I could forget about it and move on.”

Abby pulled her into a tight hug, wrapping her arms around her neck. “Well, thank you for telling me.” After a moment, they pulled away. “Are you sure you’re cool helping throw this party together? If not, it’s totally-”

“Yeah!” Denver exclaimed, confidently, “Absolutely. So, where do we start?”

~

The next morning, the daily morning routine repeats itself. Denver steps out of the shower, quickly blowdries her hair, and puts on a bit of makeup. The bold mascara and bright red lipstick matches the vibe of the cropped tank top, high waisted shorts, and simple Vans. Picking up her bag and slipping her sunglasses on, she rushes out the door and waits for the rest of the group out by her Jeep.

The three friends walk through the gate at the north end of her property, and she quickly waves them over. “Come on slowpokes, we don’t have all day!”

Sam picks up the pace, jogging over to her before wrapping his arms around her waist and spinning her around. She laughs as she holds tightly around his head, “Sam, you just saw me yesterday!”

He sets her back on the ground, pressing a kiss to her lips. “Can’t I just be excited to see you?”

Sebastian grabs Sam’s collar, pulling him backwards, “Okay you two, we’re in a rush. Don’t have all day, remember?”

~

In the blinding light of the scorching summer day, the tall buildings of Zuzu City reflected sunshine all around them. Being a Friday morning, the streets weren’t overly crowded yet as the vast majority of people would still be at work. When Sebastian had suggested taking a trip out to the city to pick up any supplies Pierre didn’t carry at his shop, no one was surprised. Any opportunity for Sebastian to come out to the city and he’d jump on it immediately. Though everyone figured Sam could easily pick up supplies from the Joja Mart in town, Sebastian pressed on, and everyone dropped it, granting him this trip.

The errands were finished unexpectedly quickly, with Denver knowing exactly which shop would have the last supplies needed. A few cases of beer, as the party would be BYOB for liquor, some miscellaneous food items at Sam’s request - “Please guys, I _need_ pizza rolls there! What kind of party doesn’t have pizza rolls?” - and a secretive meeting in an alley for Sebastian like out of some cliche mystery movie, and everything was complete. 

“I’m starving, guys. Can we grab some food before heading back into town?” Abby spoke up after dropping off everything back into the car.

“Honestly, I could totally go for some sushi right now,” Sebastian said, “Gus’ is fine and all, but I’m in the mood for something a bit more authentic.”

Denver shrugged, “Sounds good to me! It’s been ages since I’ve had any.”

They quickly picked out a nearby sushi restaurant, and were seated as soon as they stepped in. Without much thought, they were all able to pick out what they wanted before too much time had passed. 

“So like, is everyone in town gonna be invited to this party?” Denver asked, “Or are there just certain people you guys had in mind?”

“It’s not exactly a family friendly type of party, if that’s what you mean,” Sam laughed.

“So obviously none of the parents, or the kiddo’s, or anyone too lame.” Abby said, pursing her lips. 

“I’m gonna go use the bathroom real quick, I’ll be right back,” Sebastian said as he scooted out of the booth and walked towards the hallway behind Denver and Sam.

“Where are we having it then if half the town isn’t invited?” Denver smirked.

“Where all great parties should be held, of course - the old community center!” Abby said with a glint of mischief in her eyes.

Denver raised an eyebrow, “Isn’t it like...all dusty and gross?”

“Not anymore! Sebastian and I have been cleaning it up in our spare time. It’s still old and everything’s still broken, but it’s definitely clean now.”

“Oh sweet! That should be cool.”

The server then walked over, and they quickly placed all of their orders before Sebastian walked back to the booth. “Hey Sam, guess who I found in the bathroom!”

Sam glanced up at the person standing with Sebastian, “Dude, Kel, I haven’t seen you in forever!” He stood up and instantly gave him a hug. “What are you doing over here?”

Kel’s familiar laugh rang through Denver’s ears like an old song. She froze, keeping her eyes on Abby, whose eyes were as wide as a deer caught in headlights. “I was actually about to place an order to-go. Got out of work early, and this always used to be my favorite place. What about you guys, isn’t Pelican Town ages away?”

“Actually, we’re throwing a party for Sam this weekend, so we’re out here just picking up some supplies before we head back,” Sebastian said, “By the way, this is my girlfriend Abigail,” he motioned to her, “and this is Denver.”

Kel reached a hand out for Abigail to shake, before hearing Denver’s name. Abigail quickly shook his hand as his head turned to Denver. “Actually, we’ve met already.” He smiled at her, almost sentimentally. “How’d you meet anyone out in Pelican Town?” 

Biting the inside of her cheek, she cleared her throat, “Oh, uh, me and Abigail have actually been friends for a while now…” 

Abby caught on immediately, “Yeah! For ages now, it seems like.”

Kel straightened, raising an eyebrow, never taking his eyes off Denver, “Is that so? I’ve never heard you mention her.”

“We also haven’t talked in quite a while.” Her voice was flat, and words straight to the point.

Sam furrowed his brows in confusion, “Wait…”

Sebastian glared at him, his own perception skills clearly picking up on any underlying tones, “Well our food should be here soon, I’m guessing you ordered already?”

Kel shook his head, “No actually, I haven’t. Mind if I join you all?”

Before anyone else could speak up, Sam beat everyone to it, “Of course!”

Kel smiled, grabbing a seat from a nearby table and sitting at the end of their table as Sam and Sebastian both slid into their respective seats in the booth. Denver peered up at Abby, who was silently toying with the condensation on her glass. 

“So, a party this weekend? Sounds exciting, haven’t been to one of those in, oh… A few months now, I’d guess. What would you say, Denver?” Kel smiled smugly.

Chest tightening, she shifted in her seat, “How would I know?”

“Considering you came with me to the last party I went to…”

Sam tilted his head quizzically, opening his mouth to say something right before Sebastian interrupted, “Sweet, here’s our food!”

The server placed all orders down on the table, before taking Kel’s and briskly heading back to the kitchen. Kel turned to Sebastian, “What’s the rush, dude? I figured you wanted to catch up.”

“I do,” Sebastian said through clenched teeth, “But we really do need to get back to town soon. I have a project I need to finish up for a client before the party, and Abby mentioned having to submit an assignment before midnight tonight.”

Kel practically waved him off, turning his attention back to Denver, “Well it sounds like you’re not doing anything tonight.”

“Kel.” Denver said sternly.

“What? I’m just making a simple observation. Been lonely lately?”

“Actually,” Sam intervened, placing his food down and wrapping his arm around her shoulders, “I don’t think she has been.”

At this, Kel’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh, new boyfriend?”

Sam shrugged slightly, “You could say that.”

Kel took a deep breath and leisurely pushed his seat away from the table. “Got it. Well,” he pulled his phone out of the pocket, checking it briefly, “I should probably get going, actually. I just remembered I’m meeting somebody later. See you at the party?”

Sam and Sebastian shared short farewells before Kel walked over to the server, asking for his order to-go and leaving the restaurant. Once he was out of sight, Abby turned to Denver, “So that was weird.”

“Yeah, you mind filling us in on what that was about?” Sebastian asked, stuffing a piece of fish into his mouth. Sam pulled his arm back, following suit.

Denver stared down at her untouched plate of food, trying to piece together the simplest explanation. Luckily, Abigail spoke up first, “That’s her ex-boyfriend, guys. Wasn’t that obvious?”

Sam coughed, nearly choking on his food, “Wait, you’re the one he was living with a while back? He always used to talk about you, but never mentioned a name.”

“No, that wasn’t me. That was...his other girlfriend. He was cheating on me for over a year…” Her voice trailed off as she chewed on her bottom lip. “I was the one he flaunted around to his party friends, but she was the one he went home to every night.”

“Oh fuck,” Sebastian said quietly, “That’s rough, I’m sorry.”

Sam turned to her, “Are you fucking kidding me? Where’d that asshole go?” He glanced out the window, scanning the perimeter.

“It’s done and over with, babe. Don’t worry about it. I just…”

Realization hit Sam like a ton of bricks. “Wait. Wait wait wait. Is he the guy you told me about when we went to that restaurant out here?” She nodded in response. “Fuck, Den… What happened?”

She shrugged, “Long story short, we were partying together, and right before we went home, some guy came up and accused him of cheating on his other girlfriend with me. I moved to Pelican Town shortly after.” Silence overcame the group for a moment before she continued, “I’m gonna go step outside for a smoke. Mind getting me a box? I kinda lost my appetite.” Sam nodded as she kissed him on the cheek, before he moved for her to step out. 

Exiting the restaurant, she pulled out her pack like an old routine. The blazing sun beat down on her shoulders as she placed a cigarette between her red-stained lips. She slowly inhaled as she looked down at her chipped nails, the black polish she had applied days before nearly nonexistent. 

“Denver.” She jumped when she heard her name, and looked up to see Kel standing several feet away, just out of vision from the restaurant.

“What do you want?” She snapped.

“Look, I’m just saying; if you ever wanna give us - give _me_ \- another shot, I’m here.”

Her jaw dropped in disbelief, “You really think I wanna give us another shot? You cheated on me, Kel. I don’t want anything to do with you.”

“I know you still love me.”

“Bullshit! When I told you to fuck off, I meant it.”

“You’re lying to me, you’re lying to yourself, and you’re lying to Sam in there. You could save all of us a lot of heartache right now if you just get your shit figured out.”

“Fuck. Off.”

He raised his hands defensively, “Alright, well… See you at the party tomorrow.” Turning around, he left just as quickly as he came.

Her attention turned to the cigarette in her hand, the ash growing throughout the encounter. Ashing it, she felt her chest growing tighter and tighter. She took a deep inhale from the cigarette, but the nicotine did nothing to calm the swelling anxiety in her chest. Focusing on the poor coping mechanism, she felt her breaths growing more and more sporadic, as she grew more and more desperate for the usual relief the tobacco would grant her. 

When Sam stepped out of the door, he found Denver clutching her chest with one arm and holding her cigarette to her lips with the other. She was staring down the sidewalk, her chest rising and falling rapidly. “Den?”

She turned to him, dropping her hand from her chest and wrapping a loose hair behind her ear. “Sam.”

He walked up to her, “Hey, it’s okay,” and wrapped his arms around her, “Steady your breathing, babe. We don’t need you passing out here in the city.”

She giggled into his chest, “I’m trying, I can’t get it to calm down.” 

Pulling slightly back he placed his hands on her cheeks and pressed his lips against hers so incredibly softly, just long enough to taste the lingering of her lipstick once he pulled away. The warmth of his skin calmed her mind, and any remaining feelings of panic dwindled as she focused on him, and only him. He gave her a soft smile, and held her for a few minutes as her breathing returned to normal.

“Sam, can I ask you something?”

He loosened his grip, giving them space to meet eyes. “Anything.”

“When Kel asked if you were my boyfriend… Why did you answer the way you did?”

He pressed his lips in a line and exhaled through his nose, “I didn’t want to rush things. I don’t wanna mess anything up…”

“We act like a couple...but officially being a couple is too fast?”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Well what _did_ you mean?” She felt her chest begin to tighten again, “We talk every day, you kiss me as soon as you see me, but you’re scared to call me your girlfriend?”

“No, Denver, I-” he noticed her breath hitch, “Listen to me!” He grabbed her wrist and wrapped his arms around her again, “Yes, I’m scared! Okay? I am. Because the one thing I’m actually good at is fucking things up around me, and I don’t want to fuck this up.”

She softened up, taking a moment to process his words. “Denver… Please, I’m sorry.”

She looked up at him, placing a hand on his cheek before pressing a kiss to his lips. “It’s okay, Sam. I’m sorry I overreacted.” She dropped her hand, “Seeing Kel again just…freaks me out.”

“Denver.”

“It’s not your fault. I was already anxious, I took it out on you-”

“Denver.”

“Would you stop cutting me off?”

“Would you be my girlfriend?”

Her eyes flashed up to meet his once more, a red flush growing across his cheeks starkly contrasting the twinkle in his green eyes. “What?”

He laughed, “I finally build up the nerve to ask you, and you don’t even hear me?”

This time, a blush covered her face, spreading from her nose outwards. “Yes.”

“Yes?” His smile grew, a wide, toothy grin.

“Of course.”

He pulled her in for another hug, her breathing now steadied, and rather than anxiety filling her chest, a new feeling had replaced it. One similar to how she had felt in past times, but entirely different in the same way. She felt warm, safe, and dare she say, ecstatic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!!


	11. The Party in Pelican Town

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group comes together to throw a party for Sam's birthday, but it doesn't go entirely to plan for everybody.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still not 10000% happy with how some aspects of this chapter turned out, but I've been working on it for several hours now and can't figure out exactly why I'm so frustrated with it. Sorry if it's not very good. 🥺
> 
> Also TW: Drug use + drinking, anxiety

Despite the weather channel promising clear skies for the day, Denver looked up at the clouds looming overhead and sighed. Hopefully the sun will shine through regardless as they set up the party. Speaking of which, she was already running late. She pulled out her phone to send a text to their group chat, consisting of herself, Sam, Abby, and Sebastian.

**On my way!! Sorry I’m running behind, more crops were ready than I anticipated**

She threw her backpack over her shoulder, filled with clothes for the party later. Already behind on time, she left no time for her to get ready whatsoever. Fresh out of the shower, she tied her hair into two Dutch braids, threw a cute outfit into her backpack along with a small bag of makeup, and ran out the door. As she passed through her field and made it in front of the bus stop, she felt her phone vibrate again.

**Please hurry, I think they’re gonna hurt themselves**

Laughing out loud at Sebastian’s response, she shoved her phone back into her pocket and picked up the pace. All of the supplies had already been dropped off into the community center last night, so it’s no surprise that everyone else is already there and getting it ready.

As Denver ran through the field coming up to the community center, she found Sebastian leaning under a tree out front, already smoking his cigarette. He was staring amusingly up at the roof of the worn down building, and as her eyes followed his gaze, she noticed a familiar purple-haired girl stepping along what Denver assumed were the holes through the roof.

“Oh Yoba, what is that idiot…”

Her voice trailed off as she recognized a head of blonde hair sticking up, catching some unknown object Abby threw at him. Both of them laughed before Sam straightened up, and slowly walked one foot in front of the other, almost falling before he caught a piece of wood sticking up.

Her hand smacked her face, “And…that’s my idiot.”

Sebastian laughed, “If it makes you feel any better, those are both  _ our  _ idiots.” He faced her, offering his pack to her. She quickly lit up, thanking him and she scooted in closer, leaning her head on his arm. “You good?”

“Yeah, I’m totally good actually,” she assured, “Just enjoying the show.”

He chuckled, “It’s kinda weird, actually. Even just watching these two idiots risking hurting themselves… I feel good. Like all my problems are in the back of my mind. Content, maybe?”

“Happiness, Seb. That’s called happiness.”

She felt him smirk, “Isn’t that just a myth?”

Taking one last exhale, she playfully shoved Sebastian’s shoulder before she put her cigarette out on the bottom of her shoe. “That’s what people like you and I are just led to believe.” She began to walk towards the front door, giving him a small smile over her shoulder as she stepped into the weathered building. 

“Sam? Abby? Where do you need me to start?” She yelled above her.

Abby peaked her face through a hole in the ceiling, “Start setting tables up so we have places for food and drinks!”

Sam’s voice called out, “And get Sebby to start setting up the speakers!”

“Don’t call me that!” Sebastian yelled from right outside the door. He turned to Denver and shrugged, “Well, let’s get this party set up.”

~

The hours passed quickly, and by the end of set-up, the community center was transformed. String lights were hanging from the ceiling all across the main room, tables were placed along the wall waiting for food to arrive, and the speakers were playing alternative music, ringing throughout the building. 

Denver and Abigail were in the girl’s bathroom getting ready as quickly as possible. Abby had her purple hair in a half-up hairstyle, her long strands curled down her back, while the top was in a full top bun. Her black dress hugged her curves before flaring out around her thighs, with knee-high lace-up bots giving her some added height.

Taking out her braids, Denver’s hair fell into short waves. Her black skirt reached a little higher up, while her legs were covered in fishnet stockings. Moments later, her thick eyeliner and dark lipstick were applied and she slipped on her trademark Vans, and both girls were ready to go.

“Damn Abby, you weren’t kidding when you said this dress looked amazing on you!” 

She laughed, a vague blush spreading across her nose. “Do you think it’s too much? I really appreciate you letting me borrow it and all, but this feels like so much on me…”

Denver grabbed her hands, “Abby. You look  _ hot.  _ Hell no, it’s not too much! Do you feel good?” Abby nodded in response. “Then rock it! Come on, let’s get out there.”

Both girls stepped into the hallway and made their way into the main room, which was already filling up slowly. Haley and Alex were sitting on a couch in the corner, Emily was sitting on a table talking to an unfamiliar pink-haired woman, and several other unfamiliar faces were slowly filing in. The boys were nowhere to be seen.

Abby turned to Denver, “I’m gonna run to the kitchen and grab something to drink, you want something?”

“Yes please! Whatever you’re having.”

Abby nodded and turned to head to the kitchen, as Denver stepped into the middle of the room, searching for a familiar blonde boy. When he felt a finger tap her on the shoulder, she smiled and turned around, instead seeing a stranger with long, red hair and dark blue eyes looking back at her.

“Hi, uh, Denver, right?” Denver’s eye raised, trying to figure out where she’d seen her before, “Sorry, I’m not a stalker or anything! I’ve seen you at the saloon with Abigail and them before.”

“Oh, no worries!” Denver laughed, “Yeah, that’s me. I think I’ve seen you before too! What’s your name?”

“I’m Leah!”

“Nice to meet you, Leah! So, uh, how long have you been in Pelican Town?”

“I just moved here a few months back, actually. And you?”

“Literally…same. I’m surprised our paths haven’t crossed more!”

“Oh,” Leah rubbed the back of her neck with her hand, “I usually just stay at home, or down by the water to paint. Socializing isn’t entirely my thing, so I wanted to come say hi.”

“Denver!” Abby ran up by the two, “Here, I got you a cider. My favorite kind, actually.” She turned to Leah, “Hi Leah! Glad you made it.”

The two girls hugged, “Sorry I didn’t grab you anything, I didn’t know you were here yet!”

They pulled away, and Leah waved her hand, “No problem! I’ll go grab myself something, I gotta find Elliott anyways. Catch you girls later?”

After goodbyes were said, Abby turned to Denver. “Have you found the boys yet? They weren’t in the kitchen, either.”

“Nope, let’s go check outside.”

Stepping outside, the sun was beginning to set, painting the sky with hues of pink and orange in between the clouds. A chill had set through the air, and Denver immediately wished she had brought a jacket. In the meantime, she hoped that the alcohol in her body would warm her up throughout the night.

Sebastian was in his usual position, leaning against the wall talking to a stranger. Abby shyly stepped up, arms covering her chest, and Denver smiled as she watched Sebastian’s jaw drop. At that, Sam walked up next to them, and she heard him give Abby a compliment, bringing her to drop her arms and playfully punch Sam’s shoulder. 

He looked up, meeting Denver’s eyes briefly before his own widened, and he looked her up and down. She took a step forward, curling a strand of hair behind her ear, and he walked forward to meet her.

“Damn. You look…beautiful. I mean, you always look-”

Denver wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing a small peck against his lips, cutting off his sentence. Pulling back, she brushed his hair out of his face and blushed vividly. “Thank you.”

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. His body weight warmed her up immediately, and all she wanted to do was hold onto this moment forever. However, that’s not what the night had in mind for them.

Just as he leaned down to press another kiss to her waiting lips, they heard Emily call through the front door. “Abby, Denver, come here!”

Both of their heads turned, and Emily was waving. “Hurry up, girls are getting free shots!”

Denver turned to Abby, who shrugged and took a deep drink of her cider before handing it to Sebastian. Denver quickly followed suit, giving Sam a quick kiss on the cheek before heading inside.

~

The main room had empty cans littered across the entire floor. The bass was bouncing off the walls at such an incredible volume, Denver swore the entire town could hear this party. As she walked - well, more like stumbled - across the main room, she almost became the next victim to tripping over the hazards. 

Unfamiliar faces are sitting in the corner, and the smell of weed pierces her nose. For a moment, she contemplates joining them, but decides against it. Continuing towards the hallway, she decides to make her way to the kitchen to grab some water. 

Everything around her is in slow motion, and for a brisk second, the thought crosses her mind - she’s fucked up. The shots with the girls went too her head really fast, let alone the multiple beers she’s had in between. The usual group has been dispersed for quite a while now, and Denver has no idea where they’ve all gone. 

Stepping into the darker hallway, her head is down while she focuses on putting one foot in front of the other. Until her thoughts are interrupted when she bumps into somebody.

Her head whips up, “Oh my gosh, I’m sorry! I’m just…”

“Trying to get a water?” Kel is smiling down on her, the darkness casting a shadow over his face. Denver jumps at the sight, taking a step backwards. The stumble nearly knocks her to the floor, until Kel grabs her arm, steadying her. “Woah woah woah, calm down there. You alright?”

“I’m fine,” she scowls, “Let go of me, you shouldn’t be here.”

“Shouldn’t be here?” he smirks, still holding onto her arm, “I was invited, remember? How rude would it be of me to decline the invitation?”

She yanked her arm back, “I’m s-serious, Kel. Leave me alone, I wanna go find Sam.”

“Sam? Oh, he’s hanging out with that petite ginger.”

Rolling her eyes, she crossed her arms over her chest, “They’re just friends. That doesn’t mean anything. Not that you would know.”

“Denver, you never even let me explain.”

“What needs explaining? You cheated on me, for over a  _ year!  _ I gave you my everything, all while…” she stumbled, leaning against the wall for balance, “All while you slept with another girl in her bed. Fuck you.”

“Denver?” She heard a soft voice behind her. Denver whipped around, and saw Leah leaning her side against the wall. “And… Kel?”

If Denver had eyes in the back of her head, she would’ve seen Kel’s jaw drop. “Leah.”

Leah stepped forward, gently pushing Denver back towards the wall. “Denver… She was the one you were cheating on me with?”

“Leah, listen, we can talk about this.”

The sound of the smack rang in Denver’s ears. As Leah’s hand dropped, Kel’s hand reached for his face. She stormed off, but not before Denver reached for her, “Leah, I-”

Leah smacked her hand away, too. “Please, not now, Denver.” And she hurried off, head held high. Denver bent over, clutching her stomach. She knew she was fucked up, but the nausea hadn’t even been a thought in her mind until now.

Kel turned to her, grabbing her arm. “What’s the chance of both of you moving to this bumfuck town?”

“Kel, let go of me.” She tried to rip her arm back, but his grip was too firm. “Kel, I’m serious.”

“What, Miss Party Queen can’t handle her alcohol anymore? Maybe because you’re not high out of your mind. That was always your favorite, right?”

“Let go!” She yelled and kicked his leg in one swift motion. He let go and she turned, following Leah’s lead by storming down the hallway.

Back in the main room, Shane was heading towards the front door. He saw her stumbing out of the hallway, raising an arm out to her side to keep her balance. “Oh shit,” he muttered to himself, setting his own can of beer on a table and jogging towards her. “Denver, hey, what happened?”

He reached for her wrist and she flinched back, “Stop!”

Pulling his arm back, he manuevered to stand in her path. “Hey, what’s going on? Need a hand?” He reached his hand out, which she hesitantly grabbed as she nodded.

“Sorry, I… I need to find Sam. My ex is here and he won’t leave m-me alone.”

He nodded, still confused. “I saw him outside, come on, I’ll lead you over there.”

She gripped his hand so hard, it began to feel numb, but he didn’t mind one bit. Whatever had her so worked up had her so uncharacteristically upset, he knew he had to help her. 

Stepping outside, Shane leads her around the corner to the playground. Sitting atop the slide, is Sam. Besides him is Penny, as she leans against his shoulder, her knees turned towards him. Her bright green dress brushes against her knees, and as Shane’s eyes follow up her dress, he sees her talking to him. Whatever she said had Sam throw his head back in laughter, and Shane immediately knows this is a bad idea.

He turns around and places both hands on Denver’s shoulders, “Hey, I really think I should get you home. You don’t look too good.”

She weakly shoves her shoulder, attempting to loosen his hand, “Shane, please, I wanna talk to Sam.”

“Denver, really, let’s get you home-”

“ _ Stop!  _ Dammit, Shane-”

Sam’s ears perk up as he hears Denver yell, and he jumps down the slide and runs over. Denver’s breathing is hitching, and she’s leaning into Shane. “D-Denver, hey, what’re you doing out here?”

She looks up at the blonde. His face is flushed, his hair disheveled. “Sam, Kel’s here, and Leah ran off, and Shane-”

“Den, hey, slow down, steady your breathing, remember?”

Shane rolled his eyes, “Dude, she’s drunk out of her mind, she needs to get home.”

“I can take care of my girlfriend, Shane. Den, look at me.”

She turned, wrapping her arms around his waist as she leaned into him for balance next. Shane sighed, “It seems like you were taking care of someone else over there while someone was inside harassing your girlfriend.”

“We were just talking-”

“It seemed like a lot more than talking right there!”

Denver pulled away, “Wait… What’s he talking about, Sam?”

“Nothing, babe, he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”

She shoved him back, “You too?” She asked, tears welling in her eyes.

“What are you-”

She stormed past, shoulder checking Sam as she made her way onto the dirt path.

“Denver, wait-”

Shane grabbed Sam’s shoulder, “Dude, let her go home!”

The rest of the words drowned out as Denver’s legs picked up speed, and soon enough, she was running down the grass, then the cobblestone, before she reached the dirt path that led back home.

As she passed the bus stop, she stopped in front of the opening of the fence. Slowly, one step at a time, she approached the old bus. Standing in front of the bus, she fell to her knees. The tears were streaming down her face, the world around her spinning, and she hugged her knees to her chest as she buried her face. She moved to Pelican Town to get away from all of her past problems. So why, on a night that should’ve been so happy, so free, did everything feel like it was falling apart?

Time felt as if it was passing impossibly slowly, but little did she know the world was moving in hyperspeed all around her bubble. Before she knew it, a single drop of water landed on her hair. She glanced up at the sky, and the stars she had grown to love so deeply out here in the valley were covered by dark, angry rainclouds. She leaned forward, using the bus to brace herself as she stood up, and slowly made her way back home as the rain began to fall.

Stepping inside her old farmhouse, that was truly starting to feel at home, a wave of panic crashed into her. Last time she started feeling at home, she got too comfortable, things began falling apart. What makes this place any different?

She stumbled into the kitchen, grabbing the nearest cup she could find and filling it with water. After chugging it down, she knew the only way to clear her mind was to dip back into old habits. Old habits that she had fought tooth and nail, so fucking hard, to leave behind. But then again, old habits die hard. 

Setting the empty cup down, she made her way into the bedroom. Sitting on her bed, she opened up her bedside table and reached for an old bottle of pills. She glanced at the remains of the label, mostly torn off in the nerves of an old breakdown. Taking a deep breath, she poured two pills into her hand and dry swallowed them in one fell swoop. It only took a few moments for them to kick in, settling Denver’s nerves before she drifted into a deep sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think what I'm so frustrated with is how dialogue-heavy it is. I know most of my writing is dialogue-heavy, because I'm pretty terrible at writing in a way that sets up scenes well, so I focus on the dialogue which I'm far more comfortable with, buttttt sfbsdfdasgh I'm just frustrated with it. 😫 
> 
> Also, I know a lot of writers do this, but I write Denver in a way that reflects my own struggles. Take that how you will, so sorry if it sounds cheesey when I write about her struggles with substance dependency or anxiety, but I write solely from my own experiences and how I know them to be from me. I know that not everybody will share in these experiences, this is just how I feel them. Thanks for understanding. 🖤
> 
> Anyways, thank you so much for reading! I hope someone enjoys this story. 🖤


End file.
